Forbidden Friendship
by GF-221b
Summary: The New Directions and the Warblers are deadly enemies—in the Glee Club performance department. But when one of the Warblers is injured by Mercedes, will a forbidden friendship between Kurt and him change the relationship between the two groups? COMPLETE.
1. This Is New Directions

_Hello, La Princesse Morte here. I'll be your writer for this fic._

_This fic is generally _Glee_ to the general plotline of _How To Train Your Dragon_. I've tweaked the storyline a whole lot, so elements of both seasons are here, set to the major plot-points of _How To Train Your Dragon_. You don't need to have watched the movie or the series (though having done both might help just a tad)._

_In other words, this fic is about two communities who just want to destroy one another, but one person from each community befriends the other and kind of... ends the competition._

_Review Alerts (Subscriptions) are quite splendid, but Reviews are an author's best friend~ I take both, though._

_**I don't own **_**Glee _or _How To Train Your Dragon_._**_ Wouldn't it just be confusing if I did?_

_

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Chapter One: This Is New Directions

"All right, kids, are we ready to bring them all down?" Mr. Schuester asked, looking around at his kids. The others were nodding as they walked into the showroom that was hosting Sectionals. They had just missed the first group up: a bunch of preppy kids from a school on the other side of town. The next group up was… uch! The Dalton Warblers. New Directions hated them with a passion. The reason? Well… even though Will Schuester was quite new, and the last student-led council of the Warblers had passed along into college by now… well… William McKinley High School and Dalton's Glee Clubs just didn't get along… still.

As soon as the all-boys' choir (all-boys' school as well…) went up, the New Directions had to sit on their hands and clench their teeth to keep from screaming and waving their arms in protest to listening to them. They would win this time. (Last year they couldn't compete due to having only eight members. The four they were missing had graduated, and they couldn't have auditions for new members before Sectionals happened.)

The Warblers, however, hadn't even gotten to Regionals. They had lost against another great Glee Club that, for some odd reason, had been disqualified this year.

As the other team began to sing, a new face came to the front. They hadn't seen this new soloist. Kurt Hummel, sitting in between Rachel Berry and Mercedes Jones, whispered, "Who's the hottie leading the lame birds?"

Rachel flipped her hair. While the Warblers were in their school uniforms, New Directions had opted for white dresses for the girls and black button-up shirts and black pants for the boys. While the boys also wore white silk flowers in their shirt pockets, the girls wore black silk flowers in their hair. Kurt had protested the separation between the boys and girls (being gay), but in the end, Mr. Schuester had stressed that it looked awesome.

"If it looks awesome, then I'll make it work," Kurt had sighed.

"I think that's Blaine Anderson. Why do you care? He's a Warbler," Rachel told him, sneering when she had to under the dreaded 'W' word.

"I just want to know who we're up against," Kurt said, his palms sweaty.

The song they were singing was "Hey Soul Sister," a uniform performance, and the only real interesting bits were the looks the Warblers' soloist gave the rest of his group, and also some interesting details in the way Dalton sang with very little instrumentation.

"They could have done better," Rachel simply stated as they left towards the end of the Warblers' performance to get ready for their own performance, "I mean, they had little choreography, and since its an all boys school, they had no higher range voices. I mean, they could have at least had a Kurt thrown in there for a little flavor…"

"I'm glad you think that all great Glee Clubs deserve me," Kurt said, straightening his tie as they made it to the backstage area, watching as the curtain came down on the Warblers.

All too soon the New Directions' band was getting situated, and Rachel and Mercedes were separated to the other side while Kurt was soon surrounded by the other men of the show choir.

And they were off, singing their rendition of Katy Perry's "Firework," the deeper voices of the men acting like bass guitars. Kurt would have been perfect as one of the girls, but for continuity and patterns, he was shoved off to the back with Brittany, until the pretty blonde girl was pulled to the front into an elaborate dance.

Finally, the kicker came, and Kurt was pushed to the front with Sam Evans, of all people. Quinn, knowing Kurt's sexuality, had bitingly let the two boys sing to each other for only a few lines before Kurt was shoved back, and Quinn took her spot. Everyone got a little section to sing solo, and then they had a large finale as they all posed and belt out the last few notes.

The audience cheered louder than they had for the Warblers, but that was a given (as both Kurt and Rachel nodded to each other: partners in crime this time around).

* * *

"A tie? How the hell do you get tied at Sectionals?" Will asked as they packed up and changed to get back home. It was Friday night, and several members of New Directions were just itching to get away and go out somewhere for a late night snack, but to also strategize about how to win against the dreaded 'lame birds' (as the Warblers were so endearingly called at William McKinley).

"We just do, okay?" Santana replied bitingly.

Most of the members were pretty pissed about the situation as well. Suffice to say, Mr. Schuester dropped the subject, as a new face had peered in the doorway.

"Mr. Schuester," the very same Blaine Anderson asked.

His face was soon joined by five others. Two were Asian, two were framed by blond hair, and one was African-American. All were still in uniform, and looking quite calm for being in enemy territory.

"What is it… uh…"

"Blaine Anderson," Blaine replied, going to shake the teacher's hand. Will took it with a grain of salt and dropped it suddenly. Blaine cleared his throat. "Well… since we tied today, the Warblers' and I agree that we both need practice if anyone's going to beat anybody at Regionals next Spring…" he said. "So… we were hoping that we could schedule a couple of song-offs. Solo against Solo…"

Will turned to his kids, who looked hopeful at the prospect, "Go on."

"Every Friday or so, we would congregate at each other's auditoriums and perform against each other. You would pick a different soloist for each time, of course, we would switch locations every other month, and we would have three judges: a person from our council, you, Mr. Schuester, and one outsider, who would deliberate and pick a worthy winner…"

"Sounds good," Mercedes said, glaring at the other boys. "I vote that Kurt's dad be the outsider judge. He's fair when it comes to competition."

"All right," Blaine said, smiling at the big-boned girl. "And… Aleksey will be our councilmen judge," he said, pointing to the taller blond.

Aleksey pushed up his glasses up the bridge of his nose and looked to Blaine, "Next week, we've decided that Blaine will sing for us at Dalton's auditorium. We leave in five minutes, so if you could send a messenger to us telling us who you've picked, that would be great," he said, turning his head slowly to stare at Will.

Will nodded, "All right… then we'll see you next week at Dalton's auditorium…"

And with that, the seven Warbler's left to get ready to leave to go back to their school.

* * *

"The air in this room just loosened a little," Tina said as New Directions breathed out.

"It took a lot not to pound those guys," Puck said, crossing his arms and sitting down hard on a couch.

"Now, now," Will said, calming the now rowdy bunch. "We have to pick out our soloist for this round of the song-off."

"I vote for myself, since Mr. Anderson is the soloist for the Warblers, and I am the soloist for New Directions," Rachel said, her hand shooting up.

"Hey! What about Finn?" Sam asked.

"They're both boys. A girl singing would be refreshing to the majority of them," Rachel pointed out. Most of the girls could agree to that, but then again, most of them were nervous about the whole song-off idea.

"Yes, but Hummel could be refreshing as well," Puck said, "What with his voice and all."

"While that's true, Puckerman," Kurt said, "What if I pulled another 'Defying Gravity?'"

"Then choose another song," Santana put in.

"Guys! As much as I love the idea of my darling Kurt singing for us, I would like to show the Warblers why they need to bring in girls to their enterprise," Rachel told them.

Kurt pointed to Rachel and grinned, "I'd be much too nervous, and Rachel has considerably more confidence. Plus, this is something we all want, right? Rachel is the best way to set the stage for our first song-off, and then we can all squabble in peace because she can't do another song-off until we've all done one."

That made everyone a bit nervous, but it was best to go into these friendlies with a bang.

"All right, Rachel it is," Will said after a slow deliberate nod from everyone in the group.

"We'll tell them, Mr. Shuester," Artie said, looking back at Mike, who stood to puch Artie out the door.

Will nodded him along, and Mike slowly wheeled Artie out of there.

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** _Rachel and Blaine face off at Dalton's exquisite auditorium. But when Mercedes and Kurt break off from the rest of the group, what sorts of injury can the casue to the Warblers and their soloist-quite by accident? _


	2. Song Off

_This is La Princesse Morte, your author._

_You guys are so awesome for Reviewing and Alerting all that special stuff! Just one little thing that will help me a lot, though: I think the ratio of Alerts vs. Reviews is a bit... off. So, can I get some reviews so I know if I'm doing something right this time around?_

**_I don't own Glee or How To Train Your Dragon._**

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Chapter Two: Song-Off

"So, what song will you be singing, my darling Diva?" Kurt asked as the New Directions sat at their usual table at lunch.

Rachel had been going off alone a lot that week, since tonight was the night of their first song-off with the Warblers. She finally was spending time with her friends that lunch period, though. Kurt was glad of her presence, since they had gotten so close that year thanks to Burt marrying Finn's mother and so Finn moved in with the Hummels and Rachel was practically there every day, which was, in Kurt's opinion, fabulous. Suffice to say, they hadn't been the best of friends from the start.

Hopefully, that was all behind them.

"My lucky song. 'Don't Cry For Me, Argentina,'" Rachel replied.

"Wonderful choice, white girl," Mercedes replied from Kurt's other side.

Quinn, seated on Sam's lap (making Kurt just a little jealous, as Sam had been quite flirty with him when he had transferred here), put her hand over Rachel's in an act of sisterly compassion (hey, sisters could have their moments of niceness to each other, right?) "If its your lucky song, then I'm sure you'll do fine."

"Oh, goodness, I hope so," Rachel replied, smiling at everyone in that instant. "I'll go over the song one last time before we leave for Dalton, of course, but… I wanted to be among friends for a little while until then."

Her eyes rested on Finn as they shared a long moment. Kurt cleared his throat, "You'll do wonderfully. The Warblers won't know what hit them."

Rachel turned to him and wrapped her arms around him, sniffing his hair, "Mmm… Its wonderful to have friends like all of you…"

"Careful of your girlfriend, Hudson. Gay guys have a certain charm to girls," Puck said, flicking his best friend on the arm.

"Oh, quiet, Puckerman," Rachel said, turning her face so she had her head still buried in Kurt's sweater, "Kurt has been a lighthouse in my constant storm of emotions this past week. The mixture of us tying against the lame birds and now a song-off between me and their soloist is tiring and just makes me all kinds of anxious…"

Kurt patted her arm and made quiet shushing noises, "There, there, Rachel. And Finn, while I know you are fabulous boyfriend to Rachel, you do not have the emotional capacity that women do. Now, since I am an honorary girl—"

"I get it. Your better at this chick stuff than I am…" Finn replied, rolling his eyes slightly.

But he respected his stepbrother's relationship with his girlfriend. Kurt had no general interest in Rachel besides as a friend and sometimes as singing competition, and Rachel claimed she was in love with Finn. So really, Rachel got two shoulders to cry on, and Finn didn't have to listen (rather, he didn't have to _actively_ listen) to Rachel's anxieties about being the star.

Tina looked at her bulky watch and shook her head, "Damn. I forgot I had a Math test next period."

Everyone looked around for the clocks (unless they were lucky enough to have watches) and swore loudly, creating a cacophony of fairly different swears all around. Then they looked at each other and burst out laughing. Then they separated: Santana, Brittany and Quinn to finish lunch with the Cheerios; Mike, Puck and Finn to go talk to Coach Beiste; and the rest to their various classes. Kurt was lucky, as he, Artie, and Rachel had English together. They had a substitute, which was always entertaining. So, with Kurt pushing Artie toward the classroom, the three made their way through the hallways.

* * *

Kurt and Mercedes scoped out the boys in the auditorium. They had gotten to the private boys school with no problems, and Quinn and the other two Cheerios were busy calming Rachel down and getting her ready. Will had asked for New Directions to sit down to watch and root for Rachel (quietly). But the two groups were definitely segregated to either side of the long aisle that went down the middle of the audience pit.

Kurt noticed the five boys who had accompanied Blaine when they had suggested this tournament ("Aleksey Skarlova—the bespectacled one who's judging this thing; Pavel Tsarevna is the smaller blond boy—apparently, his parents are from Russia and speak Russian at home. The stoic-looking Asian—the one with the ponytail—is Dawei Ling. The African-American is David Erikson, and his heterosexual life partner—the other Asian—is Wes Richter," Will had told them, reading their files as a last ditch effort to make the kids feel better.), but there were definitely more Warblers than just the six who had come to see them a week ago.

Kurt even caught the eye of a tall brunet who winked at him, scaring Kurt just a little. "Jesse St. James goes here now? Guess that last school was just too easy for him…" Mercedes commented as they sat down.

Kurt looked behind him at the judges' table, where Burt sat, and waved at his nervous-looking father. Finn was just sliding past Kurt on his way to sit in between Puck and Mercedes, and Burt lifted his pen to his two sons, smiling weakly before turning back to Aleksey and Will.

Finally, the three Cheerios joined the rest of New Directions, Quinn sliding in next to Sam, who was on the other side of Puck, and Santana and Brittany sliding in next to her, pinkies hooked together. Aleksey adjusted the mike in front of the three and said, "All right. Since this is Warblers' home base, Blaine is up first."

Blaine came out and said, "Thank you, fellow Warblers. And welcome, New Directions. I will be singing a personal favorite: 'Teenage Dream' by Katy Perry…"

Mercedes took Kurt's hand and squeezed, "They're too polite for hating our guts," she whispered, causing Kurt to giggle slightly just as the karaoke track started for Blaine's selected solo.

Kurt couldn't take his eyes off the other boy. He had heard the song on the radio, and sometimes it came up while Rachel was over and they were using her iPod hooked up to his speakers, but it was never sung _like this_. Kurt almost feared for Rachel's victory, but pushed it off, now going through the other boy's faults: _He's too still. If he wanted to be natural, he would let the lyrics move him as he used this AWESOME space we're using…_

That seemed to distract Kurt from Blaine's _gorgeous eyes and gentlemen-like stature_ for a little while… until the song was over (and yes, Kurt did listen closely to the lyrics…), and Blaine was bowing and thanking the judges for their time.

Rachel came out then, and announced her song. She was wearing funeral clothes: a simply ruffled black dress, tights and shoes, with a hat crooked on her head with a little piece of black mesh covering half of her face. The karaoke track began, and Rachel was pitch perfect, with little to no mistakes as she walked around the stage, her look faraway. Many times during her song she looked to Kurt or Finn, sometimes to Quinn and Sam, sometimes to some of the Warblers that were in her line of vision.

She was a picture of brilliance, and Kurt's heart swelled with pride to see her singing with that much grace. Sure, she could be a pain in the butt at practice, but she was a lovely girl and was very loyal to those she got close to.

When Rachel finished, she walked off the stage to change back into normal clothing, and the judges kicked everyone out to deliberate on a winner.

* * *

The two groups congregated in the lobby, still segregated as they high-fived their soloists and assured each that they would win this time.

After a few minutes, Mercedes got thirsty, and Kurt reminded her of the vending machine near the bathrooms. They spent a long time there, as Mercedes was deliberating on which drink she should get. After she chose, though, Kurt wanted to hurry back so they could get their in time for the judges' choice to be heard. He wanted to be there for Rachel no matter what.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw three Warblers enter the hallway. They weren't menacing like Dave Karofsky and his band, but they were rather happy. Kurt noticed Pavel Tsarevna, a small, mousy blond that was probably shorter than Kurt, and very cute for someone who grew up in Russia, as Mr. Schuester had warned. The other two were Jesse St. James (cue shudder from Kurt) and… Blaine Anderson, bringing up the rear.

The next thing that happened was totally an accident. But for Kurt, it happened so quickly that he couldn't grab Mercedes fast enough to stop her.

What went down was clearly an accident to all sides: Mercedes, talking with her hands about something that Kurt wasn't _actually_ paying that much attention to, bumped into Jesse, who was almost shielding Pavel and keeping him close to the wall. Jesse pushed Pavel out of the way of Mercedes' big arms, slamming him into the wall. Jesse flew backward into Blaine, who's trajectory had him bumping his head against the wall.

Blaine fell unconscious, and the two members of New Directions began blurting out apologies as Jesse helped Pavel up. The boys weren't mad in the least, which was odd, because Kurt could have _sworn_ that the Warblers hated New Directions almost as much as New Directions hated the Warblers…

"We'll get him to the hospital. It's not your fault, Miss," Pavel said, his voice lower than Kurt's, but definitely higher than most teenage boys.

"Go see who won," Jesse said. "Don't worry about it, please… worry about your own…"

Kurt and Mercedes glanced at each other before they nodded and went to the lobby. Kurt watched as Jesse and Pavel picked up their unconscious soloist and took him out of the emergency door. He was sure when the Warblers found out, New Directions were _so_ dead. He was so worried about it all that he was surprised when Rachel hugged him tightly, the rest of the New Directions members screaming, "Rachel won! Rachel won!"

But Kurt pushed Rachel off of him and made his way to the parking lot, just to see Jesse and Pavel driving Blaine off. Kurt grabbed his keys: something was off.

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** How much can be cleared up between to members of different communities? Do the Warblers have a bone to pick with New Directions now that Blaine as been injured? Kurt goes to see the downed Warbler, and the truth is cleared up between them. Can a forbidden friendship change the two boys' world?


	3. The Downed Warbler

_Hello, La Princess Morte here. You know... the writer?  
_

_Thank you ALL for your reviews and subscriptions. Honestly, I didn't think this would be as popular as it was. It makes me really proud that I was wrong, actually.  
_

_Notes on the chapter: Some of the _How To Train Your Dragon_ plot is actually discussed at least once in this chapter. It's important to the plot, since this is pretty much _Glee_ fitting into _the How To Train Your Dragon_ plotline. This is very important to know, because my chapter titles are variations (or straight out) of the song titles on the soundtrack album. Of course, I took a lot of tracks out because they didn't make sense in my version._

**_I don't own _Glee_ or _How To Train Your Dragon**_. I don't think they would have as good if it were me.  


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Chapter Three: The Downed Warbler

Kurt felt like he was filling in in _Mission Impossible_. He didn't want to get caught by Jesse and Pavel, but he _had_ to see if the Warbler was all right. He had no idea _why_ he was bothering in the first place: maybe he just wanted to humiliate the Warbler even farther, but he had to see Blaine.

And soon Pavel and Jesse were kicked out by the nurse.

"Damn, she didn't have to be so touchy!" Jesse laughed.

Pavel rolled his eyes and took his phone out. "Poor Blaine. After getting hit in the head he still loses to that Miss Berry…"

"Really? Damn shame," Jesse sighed. "But I must admit, she was pretty good. I know Blaine was nervous and didn't use the stage… We'll have to work on that."

"You should sing next… We're voting on Monday and Aleksey told me he and Will are going to keep in almost constant contact…"

Jesse took his phone out, "Funny how ol' Lyosha only texts you when any of us are out with you…"

Kurt saw the young boy's cheeks flush, but didn't hear the rest of the conversation as he ducked into the room. The nurse was still there, and she looked ready to choke Kurt out at that point.

"Listen, if any more of you Dalton boys come back here—oh!" she noticed Kurt's dress was rather more… _fabulous_ than the Dalton uniform. "So sorry. We have so many Dalton boys come when one of the Warblers gets hurt, which they so often do. It's rather weird seeing _Mr. Anderson_ here. Mr. Tsarevna is more prone—" she found herself babbling and cleared her throat, "Who are you to Mr. Anderson?"

"Uhm… his… his stepbrother," Kurt blurted out. He must have had Finn on the brain… or his dad. Either one, really.

"Oh! Well… such a good stepbrother you are, then. He hit his head pretty hard, but not enough that he'll get brain damage. He just needs to sleep it off for a while. I'll be letting the Warblers in in about two hours or so. You must know what a rowdy bunch they are," the nurse winked.

Kurt knew what she was getting at, "I'll… I'll definitely get myself out of there by then…" he said, smiling at the older woman. She grinned back and left the room.

And Kurt was completely aware that he was alone with _a Warbler_. _New Directions would kill me of they found out._

But he sat down on one of the chairs and stared at the calm face in the hospital bed. What he was waiting for, he had no clue.

* * *

When Blaine began to stir about an hour later, Kurt got up to leave. He had been studying Blaine's face for a while now, and had turned his attention to his phone messages, of which there were tons.

_**You ran out so suddenly. **__–Puck_

_**Something happen, Kurtie? **__–Brittany_

_**Whatever happened, we're having a movie night to celebrate. **__**How To Train Your Dragon**__** good? **__–Finn_

_**Hope you're up for HTTYD at my house, Kurt. I want to know what got into you back at Dalton…**__ - Rachel_

And of course there were several more from the other members of William McKinley's glee club. He answered back to the lot of them that he was fine, and he just needed some air and figured he would just leave. He had to lie and say he was at another secret function and that he would there a little late for Movie Night. And that, yes, _How To Train Your Dragon_ was fine, and not to worry when they got to the part with the musical piece 'Forbidden Friendship' in it.

_**Why?**__ – Brittany_

_**I always break down crying. Really! Breaking down the fear and hate between dragons and humans? OMG!**__ – Kurt_

So when Blaine began moving and squeezing his eyes only to open them, Kurt freaked out and stood up suddenly, first dropping his phone to the floor and then, when he was retrieving it, his coat.

Blaine was slowly sitting up and blinking at the other boy. "Damn… you were with the girl who knocked us down…" he pointed out.

"That was a total accident," Kurt replied quickly.

"I have no doubt," the other replied, no sarcasm. He rather smiled at Kurt. Warmly. Though it spiked the temperature in the room a bit higher than just _warm_.

"I apologize for Mercedes," Kurt said after a few moments (and after unbuttoning the first two buttons on his shirt for a little air).

"And I thought you were only here to humiliate me," Blaine said, crossing his arms and smirking (adorably, it should be mentioned).

"I thought so too," Kurt replied, mirroring the other, except with no smirk. He looked at the clock on his phone. The other Warblers would be here in any instant.

"The Warblers… they don't actually hate us, do they," Kurt finally said, his question actually rhetorical.

"That's right," Blaine replied, "It was the last council that started it. Apparently, you glee club learned to hate us from the seniors that left last year, am I correct?"

Smart _and_ cute. "That's right. Amanda, Leon, Tommy, and Zoe taught us that life is a competition, but that we should be more competitive with the Warblers than any other group…" Kurt replied, nodding his head a little.

Blaine's smirk grew, "Our last senior council were freshman when your seniors were. Your last director was once a Warbler, but was kicked out after about a year. Guess he still had a grudge, and he set up the great Warbler-New Directions Hatred. But this year? Those seasoned seniors are gone, and we… actually have a lot of respect for you guys…"

Kurt flushed. He had been 'hating' these guys since last year, and all the Warblers had done for the past year was _respect_ them?

"Crap…" Kurt said, dropping his arms to his side. He felt bad. He really did.

"Hey," Blaine said, sitting up a little more. He was wearing a hospital gown with no back, and it was all Kurt could do not to peek at the little line of olive-tone skin back there. "We understand that you guys just didn't know. And that you guys are rock-headed about these things. And we know that you guys… might not change."

Kurt's phone buzzed and he got a look at the time. _Frack! The Warblers will be here any second. If they know I've been here… New Directions will find out and I'll be dead!_

He saw that he had also gotten another text from Rachel:

_**Hey! We're going to be discussing the next song-off soloist on Monday, and so tonight before the movie we want to get at least three contenders for the vote on Monday. Get your perky, sparkly ass over here! **_

Then:

_**Sorry for that last text, Kurt. Santana commandeered my phone. She will be dealt with accordingly. But we are going to vote for the top three singers who should solo for next week. Please get here soon… my brownies are cooling and they're not as good when they're cool…**_

He typed a quick message back and looked up at Blaine, who was looking at him expectantly.

"Have you seen _How To Train Your Dragon?_" Kurt blurted out after another tight silence between the two.

"No… not yet. But Pavel has the DVD and we've been talking about watching it together: me, him and the Warblers…"

"You should," Kurt said, heading toward the door. "Then we can have something to talk about…"

"Meaning… you'll be back?" Blaine asked, his adorable little smirk coming back.

Kurt flushed and nodded before he bolted out the door.

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** _The Warblers and New Directions face off once more. Blaine is still in the hospital though, even though the Warblers are actually Skyping the performance. Will the performance of one little New Directions member intrigue the ailing Warbler? And will Kurt keep up with his promise to visit Blaine again despite their one-sided 'hatred?'_


	4. Practice

_La Princesse Morte, here._

_Thank you all for you feedback last chapter. I really hope it keeps coming, especially because of my OCs that keep popping up. Yes, they have their own back stories and subplots, so I kind of want you to look after them like I am. I hope this chapter helps you look into my version Dalton a little more._

_This chapter has a lot more _Spring Awakening_ in it. Its mostly because Jonathan Groff (Jesse St. James) played the Original Cast's Melchior across from Lea Michele (Wendla, Rachel Berry). Hence a little conversation between the musical-loving duo of Kurt and Rachel. I apologize for any confusion, as _Spring Awakening_ is one of my favorite musicals and I sometimes awkwardly quote it or reference it in some way._

_(_**_I do not own Glee or How To Train Your Dragon._** _They just wouldn't be the same if I did.)_

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Chapter Four: Practice

"All right. Today we're going to pick out our next soloist for Friday. I'll allow that one soloist to spend the rest of the afternoon looking for music. The rest of us will be picking out our set-list for Regionals," Mr. Schuester said, taking up the pen to the white board.

The kids just looked at each other as Rachel held up her hand.

"Rachel, rule states you can't go again," Will sighed, closing his eyes lightly.

"No, Mr. Schuester. The other members and I have come up with the three people we would like to vote for this week," Rachel said as the Cheerios snickered slightly in the back—mostly at the look on Will's face.

"Oh… All right…" the director of New Directions said, mouth agape. He took the top off the pen and got ready to write the names down.

"We have gone with Sam Evans, Santana Lopez, and Kurt Hummel," Rachel stated matter-of-factly.

Will nodded, "All right. We'll do this democratically. Heads down and when I say a name you raise your hands. You can only vote once, so choose carefully…"

"Mr. Schuester," Kurt raised his hand primly, "Do you know which Warbler the soloist will be singing against?"

Will sighed and shook his head, "Aleksey emailed me this morning and said we'd have their competitor by this afternoon, so I'll probably call you or tell you in class, when I have you," he glared at some slackers who clearly didn't come to class all that much (Santana and Mike got some pretty fierce glares, in Kurt's opinion).

* * *

"Congratulations, Kurt," Mercedes was saying as she and Kurt walked out of the choir room to go home that evening. Kurt had won by a landslide. Kurt had some idea about who had voted for him this time around (Rachel, Finn, and Mercedes came to mind), and he was sure it was just because of his talent, as he was up against _Santana_ and _Sam_.

"Yes, congratulations," Rachel said from his other side, latching on to Finn. Finn was both Kurt and Rachel's ride. "What song have you picked?"

"'Defying Gravity,'" Kurt smirked. Rachel and he had had a diva-off with that song. "This time I'm not going to forfeit, though."

Rachel laughed, "Of course your not! We need to win enough times so that the Warblers will be afraid for their lives at Regionals!"

Kurt loved this girl. He really did. "What the set-list like? I only heard wind of the Journey songs…"

"Honey, we narrowed it down to one Journey song. Otherwise, we're doing some group songs from _Les Miz_, and we talked Mr. Schuester in to letting the girls do a less-risque version of "The Cell Block Tango" among other things," Mercedes replied as they got to the exit of the school.

"That's going to be really cool," Kurt agreed, sighing.

He hugged Mercedes and watched her as she got safely to her car before he turned to Finn and Rachel, "Rachel, I know your staying for dinner. I'm going to have a nervous breakdown if you don't come and help me with this song!"

Rachel let go of her jock boyfriend and grabbed Kurt, "I will not slap that pretty face. You need to be in tact for the song-off and that means you have to be pretty! But I will help you get up to that high F again… among other things," she said, pulling Kurt into the backseat of the car.

Finn simply rolled his eyes and got into the driver's seat to drive his girlfriend and stepbrother to the Hudson-Hummel home.

* * *

That Friday New Directions congregated in their own auditorium. In the choir room, however, Kurt and Rachel were taking the song through one last time before Kurt got on stage with Jesse, who was to be singing against him.

Will was all too soon shooing them out and locking the door. Rachel and Kurt took deep breaths as they walked down the hall, Rachel chattering about how everything was going to be all right, but if he lost, she was going to walk out on him (as usual). Kurt assured her that no one could win against him with all the fabulous training she had put him through, and took her hands backstage. They shared a moment before Rachel took her leave to watch and root for him as he had done for her the week before.

"It's only fair, since this is your home base, that Kurt goes first," Aleksey said in to the microphone. "Don't mind the laptop. Blaine wants to see Jesse sing, but we were talking earlier, so we decided he should see the whole thing."

_Wait, what?_ Kurt thought to himself. He thought he would have a reprieve of that guy until at least later tonight… guess not. He stepped out on the stage and tried to keep his eyes off the face of Blaine through the computer situated right in front of Mr. Schuester. Rachel made her usual 'smile' pose from the audience, and Kurt obliged, "I'll be singing 'Defying Gravity,' from _Wicked_," he told everyone as if it was supposed to be known by everyone that he was fabulous (which he was, to his credit).

And then the karaoke version of "Defying Gravity" came over the speaker system.

He moved around the stage, sometimes holding his stomach to belt out the sound. He made a majestic sweep of the stage, but as he ended the song, he was staring out at the other Warblers from center-stage. They were really missing a boy who's voice could go as high as his. Maybe Pavel could do it, but Kurt really doubted the other boy could come even close.

The eyes who were the widest, however, were Blaine Anderson's. He seemed impressed, though, as Kurt bowed and ran off the stage.

Jesse simply smirked at him as he passed, but Kurt didn't bother shuddering as he got into the auditorium and plopped into Rachel's lap. She giggled, but Jesse was just walking regally on to the stage.

"Thank you for the _wonderful_ performance, Mr. Hummel. I'll be singing "All That's Known" from _Spring Awakening_…" he said.

His karaoke track began, and he started the song after a few minutes.

"You know, he kind of looks like the Original Broadway Melchior," Rachel whispered to the friend still sprawled on her lap.

Kurt looked up at the boy, still anxious about meeting Jesse's eyes. "He kind of does. Then again, _you_ look like the girl who played across from him… Lea?"

Rachel blushed, "Oh please… I don't do nude scenes, Kurt," she hissed.

All too soon Jesse was done, and the two glee clubs were pushed out of the auditorium. The Skype conversation was ended, and the computer put away in… was it David's? Yes, the computer was placed in David's messenger bag.

* * *

"And so after all that, New Directions gets another win," Pavel summed up the night to his friend. He was there with Aleksey, Jesse, Wes, David, and a hulking boy with dark hair and chocolatey-brown skin named Aaron Hamilton—a baritone to the Warblers.

"Well… Kurt has an amazing voice," Blaine said, "Something you can aspire to, Pasha…"

"I can almost do the high F! Get off my case!" Pavel shrieked, only to have Aleksey's piano-player's hands on his shoulders to calm him down. Pavel slumped in the other's grip, and Blaine couldn't help but smile.

"I only… I only wonder what it would be like to…" Blaine stopped himself, shaking his head as if it was a silly idea.

"What?" David asked.

"Did you _hear_ him sing?" Blaine asked everyone.

"Loud and clear," Jesse replied, laughing. "It was as if that angel that came to Moritz in _Spring Awakening_ was there in front of me."

Blaine glanced at him, and Jesse shrugged and looked out the window.

"I wonder what it would like to be in a duet with him…" Blaine finished quietly.

Jesse stared at him. Aleksey and Pavel stopped touching one another for a minute to glance at their soloist. Wes and David gave each other knowing looks. Aaron simply crooked his head to the side. Jesse smiled at his friend and slapped Aaron on the back.

"Come on, buddy. The Warblers want to have a meeting in the morning and I'm taking you home, right?" he asked of the hulking beast of a boy.

Wes and David snapped to attention, as they were part of the council that had issued the decree of an extra practice that weekend. They got ready to leave as well.

Aaron made a grunting noise and made to follow the brunet. Jesse turned to the blond bespectacled boy, "You coming? I seem to remember your aunt taking away your car because of… _an incident_…"

"The bird-poop was _clearly_ Rayne and Kyle's fault," Aleksey sighed, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. He took one final look at Pavel before the younger blond shooed him away with a curt, "I'll be _fine_, Alyosha!"

Blaine watched the five go, "Why aren't you going with them?"

"Lyuba will pick me up later. She had a basketball game with her cheerleader girlfriend, so they'll be out late celebrating their latest win," he said.

Blaine nodded at the antics of Pavel's twin sister. He knew the reason why Pavel had transferred so early in his freshman year, but he wasn't complaining. They had needed a countertenor, but Pavel definitely needed a little work in getting to the higher ranges.

"Besides… I have some… questions for you. As one… gay friend to another…" Pavel said, his voice now barely above a whisper.

Blaine chuckled. Ah, of course. As Blaine was a year older than Pavel (a Sophomore to Pavel's Freshman), he was more of a mentor to his younger friends who happened to be gay, as Pavel and Aleksey were. Kyle Pinyin was older than the three (a Senior this year, sadly), and gay as well. Blaine wasn't sure about Rayne, as he had a girlfriend (part of a set of twins. Aaron happened to be dating the other twin), but he didn't worry about the sexual orientations of his fellow Warblers unless they needed his help… like little Pasha often did.

"All right, Pasha… what is it?"

"Well…"

TBC

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene'**: Kurt keeps his promise to Blaine, but once at the hospital, another soon-to-be countertenor has gotten to Blaine first. Or so it seems. When Kurt's cover is blown, sparks seem to fly. They may even be romantic.


	5. Just A Glance

_La Princesse Morte, here again!_

_Thank you for your reviews! In this chapter, I went into a little more detail about Pavel, though I really didn't mean to. I wanted to have a little competition for Blaine, but then I thought better of it, as him and another character of mine (you'll learn who!) go well together a bit more (as I all ready have written them together). But I will go into the back stories of a few more of the Dalton OCs, especially since their back stories are different from the ones in the original work they appear in now._

_Hopefully you don't feel sorry for Pavel. He's not that kind of character, he's just... had some hard times._

_Also, I know I've been spoiling you with an update a day. Well... that's about to change. I'm a full time student, so I have other things to do, and I usually take two or three (or more) days to crank out a chapter. I've just been so excited about this one, but its time for me to become more sporadic. I hope that doesn't change your enthusiasm for reviewing and being such delightful fans as you are. Be patient, my loves.  
_

_**I don't own **_**Glee**_** or **_**How To Train Your Dragon**_. I just own anyone here you don't recognize from either.

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Chapter Five: Just A Glance

Kurt wasn't ready for _this_. Pavel Skarlova, an obvious countertenor (his voice was maybe a pitch lower than Kurt's even when he _spoke_) was _crying_ as Blaine Anderson _held his hand_. Looking closely, though, he only saw a mentor-like look in the Dalton soloist's eyes as he let the young boy cry out his feelings.

"—And I just don't know what to do about it! I… I love him so much!" Pavel was crying.

_Oh, so Pavel and Blaine weren't an item after all_, Kurt thought with… relief? He shook his head at himself and peeked around the corner again.

"He'll come around, Pasha. He just gets so in to some things. Remember that exam we had in our Honors English class last week? We thought he and Rayne were actually screwing each other with how frequently he was up there…" Blaine said, "Even though I clearly stated that every Freshman, Sophomore, Junior and Senior who valued their life in that class should form a study group and meet everyday at Jamba Juice…" he added tersely, stroking the younger boy's hand.

Pavel sniffed and looked up, "Turns out, they were writing the full score of a musical to help up get through all those literature terms and plotlines…" he said, smiling. "I had the one about _Romeo and Juliet_ in my head for the entire day afterwards."

_Of course you did_, Blaine thought, smiling warmly at his younger friend. "I'm sure 'Lyosha likes you back. If not the way you love him, then at least… attracted?" He saw the look on Pavel's face and winced, "He'll _come around_, Pasha," he said, squeezing the boy's hand.

The other boy smiled a little as he wiped his tears away with his hands, flourishing a little too quickly as he smacked his hand against the wall and cried out. Kurt saw the nurse fly to Blaine's room and ducked in an alcove where the water fountains were (getting his skin-tight jeans wet in the process) to check on the two.

Kurt remembered that Pavel was the one that was more prone to winding up in this place. Who _were_ these diverse people from Dalton and why did Kurt want to get to know them a little more?

Once the nurse saw that Pavel was okay (Kurt guessed) Kurt went back to his peeking. Pavel was holding his aching hand with his other one, meaning Blaine's hand was freed up, and it was fiddling with the edge of the blanket his was under.

"When are you going to be discharged, Blaine?" Pavel suddenly asked.

"The doctors are still testing me for brain-damage," Blaine replied, quick as a chess-clock thumper. Kurt almost _wished_ he would add "—Thanks to that Jones girl," in a seething tone to make Kurt feel a little like maybe pining for a friendship with the Dalton boys was _completely insane_. At this point, it was only a little insane, because if New Directions had any idea what was going on? Well… the figurative bullets would fly…

Pavel giggled, "Oh my. Miss Jones didn't even hit Jesse that hard… I'm sorry for crushing you, by the way…"

"No problem. I'm used to you crashing into me during practice anyway," Blaine replied, smiling at the younger male.

"You would think Wes and David would know by now not to make me move in any coordinated way," Pavel replied sheepishly. He took out his phone and checked for any messages. "That's just great. If I have to give Lyuba and Maggie the Talk again I'm going to be seriously mad…"

Blaine laughed, "How is that Gay-Straight Alliance doing, by the way?" he asked.

"Great. I… I would go back, but… _he'd_ still be there," Pavel replied.

Kurt was intrigued now.

"I can't believe no one's turned him in yet," Blaine said, "We really ought to do something about that… He's a teacher, for Christ's sake!"

"That's the problem. I told you already, he's close to the headmaster and he _trusts_ him too much," Pavel replied. He shook his head, "But the GSA is strong. They've got Lyuba, for God's sake. And Dawei's girlfriend, who could kick anyone's ass…"

Kurt's eyes were wide as he listened to this conversation. Obviously Pavel had things worse than Kurt did, worse than _New Directions_, the bottom of the food chain at William McKinley. Obviously Pavel was _harassed_ into going to Dalton. _But he has friends there now and won't go back_.

So what were the stories of the other boys at Dalton? Obviously, not all of them had problems at their last schools. Dalton was a private school, so not _everyone_ could afford it there. Maybe some were senators' sons. Maybe some of them were company heirs. Aleksey sure looked like it, as did Wes and David. Aaron looked a bit out of place, but anything was possible, Kurt guessed.

And what of Pavel's accent? It was so thick and _Russian_.

"How are things at home, Pavel? Besides your happy lesbian sister?" Blaine asked, "It's been so long since we last talked."

"Mom is trying to learn English now. She's taking night classes. Dad is… still going from job to job. If it wasn't for my uncle back in Russia… I don't know how I would still be with you guys. But as long as I keep my grades up… I won't have to go back to… _him_," Pavel replied weakly, sitting down in a chair a bit harder than it looked like he meant to. Even Kurt winced a bit.

Kurt seemed to remember Mr. Schuester's lecture on the six that had come in to the New Directions' warm up/cool down room at Sectionals. He had said something about Pavel being from Russia. In fact, he had been warned everyone many times.

Blaine nodded, "Well… if your mom knows English, she can get a job here and you won't be so down for money. You can stop getting loans from your company lord uncle," he said, nodding.

And what was Blaine's story? Kurt got to thinking. And _what the hell was Kurt still doing at the hospital?_ Kurt made to dash away from the door when his shoe squeaked against the linoleum. Kurt hoped neither Warbler in the room could here him, but he still froze. Pavel didn't seem to notice, as he was looking longingly at his phone, but Blaine…

…_He saw him_. Kurt didn't know how long he and Blaine stared at each other, but Blaine did not blow his cover by saying anything. Kurt was so nervous that his heart rate threatened to thin out his blood and kill him. Thank goodness it didn't, though. Blaine's eyes were riveted to Kurt face, Kurt's eyes, Kurt's nose, Kurt's _lips_, and then back up to Kurt's frightened eyes. He broke contact only when he heard Pavel's ringtone as Pavel snapped up. Blaine watched his little friend move out the door where Kurt had been, _but Kurt had disappeared._

Blaine felt his hand go to his chest as if he had seen a ghost, but he dropped it back into his lap as Pavel poked his head back in the room and said, "Lyuba's here. See you soon?"

Blaine simply nodded and hoped that Pavel could make it out of the hospital without being put into a room himself.

As for Kurt? Well, he was all ready in his car, his head on the steering wheel. And yet… he was still so curious about the Warblers… but especially that downed Warbler.

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** If only there was a handbook or some backstory to this whole extreme rivalry New Directions believes they have with the Warblers. Then Kurt would have a reason not to go to the hospital to stalk Blaine. (Not that he would stop...) Oh, wait... _there is?_


	6. The Handbook

_Hello all!_

_Sorry for the lack of Klaine in this chapter. I know that's one of the reasons you're all reading this... but I'm actually trying to create a physical story here, so the romance won't always be around. Hope the chapter after this will be a little better, and the one after that will renew your reasons to read this little fic. Now, onwards into Kurt's thought processes on the matter of New Directions vs. the Warblers._

_Please enjoy this chapter **and reviews would be totally awesome.**  
_

_**I don't own **_**Glee _or_ How To Train Your Dragon**_. It just wouldn't be the same.

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Chapter Six: The Handbook

Kurt wondered why he had suddenly wandered into Will's office the next day. He knew the Spanish teacher's health was getting worse. It was just before Glee practice, and both Kurt and Will seemed out of it. "What can I help you with, Kurt?" Will yawned.

"I'm… not quite sure," Kurt replied, slumping dramatically into one of Mr. Schuester's chairs. He watched as the older male looked over some printed out papers. "Uhmm… what are those?"

"The original emails and hate mail concerning the rivalry between the Warblers and New Directions. Set up in the mid-eighties when _I_ was a sophomore," he said, "Now it seems sort of… silly…"

Will remembered that one of the actual glee club members was in the room and visibly winced, "Not that I don't think we should at least spook 'em before Regionals," he added quickly.

Kurt didn't call him out for being _as insane as Kurt was_ or for being _quite reasonable_ in covering up the fact that Mr. Schuester was _as insane as Kurt was_. He was staring at the stack of papers. "Has… has everyone read those emails?"

Will looked at them, "Well… they were sent to all members, and I think Mr. Takashi read them aloud to everyone every year…"

_Mr. Schuester was just placed as Mr. Takashi's replacement last year… and that's when I joined…_ Kurt thought. "So… the new incarnation of New Directions doesn't… know the origins of this rivalry?"

Will shook his head, "I was just reading them to wrap my head around it all, that's all. It's perfectly healthy for us to be rivals of the Warblers," he stood up, "We should get to practice."

"But… you're not well," Kurt said, standing up with him.

Mr. Schuester paused in his rifling through papers and looked at his pupil. "Half day, then."

Kurt nodded, "Uhm… can I have that pile of correspondence?" he asked suddenly.

Will looked at him, "Uhm… even Sue knows the rivalry between us and the Warblers… you must have some idea about why all this competition came about…"

Kurt shook his head, "I just want to get the straight facts. You _know_ Rachel embellishes things, and Finn can't give a straight answer… I want to know… know the real reasons why Mr. Takashi and that Warblers' council actually started all this," Kurt replied.

Will blinked, realizing he had found an ally. "You know, Kurt, since starting this work alongside Aleksey and Burt… this Warbler/New Directions thing just seems so silly. That Aleksey kid is really a smart cookie for being a freshman. He and you share some similarities," he said, biffing Kurt lightly under the chin (since he knew Kurt _hated_ to have his hair ruffled). "You both know what you want, you both strive to get it… and you both have an attraction to the same sex."

That might have been crossing the line, but it actually made Kurt feel a bit better. Especially when Mr. Schuester handed him the thick stack of papers. "It might take a while to get through, but skimming a large part of them will lighten the load and get the point across. I hope you don't have too much homework to do tonight?"

Kurt looked up at Mr. Schuester for a quick moment before looking back down at the papers, "Nothing I couldn't finish in class or during study hall," he said proudly. "Even studying for that AP English test in a couple of days."

Will smiled, "Aleksey's deliriously intelligent and plays the piano perfectly, as well, you know," he said.

"Trying to set me up?" Kurt asked, grinning slightly.

Will was taken aback by this playful side to Kurt Hummel. "N-No! I just thought… you two could be friends…"

Kurt sighed and returned to his slight scowl, "There are other boys from Dalton who have… caught my interest, Mr. Schuester… But I'll take Mr. Skarlova into account."

hr

Will was true to his word, and glee was let out early. They had voted on Sam singing at the next song-off, and Will checked his email from Kurt's phone and figured out that Pavel Tsarevna was to be his rival this week.

"Damn. It'll be like going up against Kurt… only he'll be in a really tacky uniform and he can't hit a high F," Sam said, smiling warmly at the aforementioned countertenor. It made Kurt's heart drop and then break when the blond squeezed Quinn's hand in between the chairs.

Rachel asked to stay after and use the auditorium, and Will obliged. Finn and Kurt went home together, as they usually did. When they got home, however, Carole and Burt were just getting ready to leave on an impromptu dinner date. Kurt promised they wouldn't eat too unhealthy of food, but since he was already knee deep in the rivalry 'handbook' with a thumb in his mouth, he allowed Finn to order them two pizzas: one with veggies. The other one, he knew, would be the meat-lovers. They would also have to hide the pizza from Burt when he and Carole got home.

_Dear Mr. Takashi,_

_Though we are very sorry about your past with the Warblers, the only thing we can do is let your kids compete against us in Sectionals, as I'm sure they will be doing anyway._

It was odd to read the letters that had started it all. The jist of each email that caught Kurt's eyes was the seething tone Mr. Takashi had, and the calm tones the Warblers' council had in retort. Mr. Takashi really was expelled from the Warblers when he was in school, and had such a grudge that he only took the job as director of New Directions to get back at him.

The Warblers, in contrast, were only annoyed at Mr. Takashi and wished for him to see his place. So the rivalry, really, should have died when Mr. Takashi stepped down and the last council graduated, making room for Wes, David, and Kyle.

Finn poked his head in Kurt's room when the pizza came, handing Kurt the vegetarian. "I thought you finished all your homework, Kurt," he said.

"This is… extra credit," Kurt said, flipping over one of the last emails in the correspondence. "Something Mr. Schue wanted me to read for Glee…"

"A solo or something, buddy?" Finn asked. He would have dared to come in to Kurt's room (the Hudson-Hummels had finally moved into a bigger house where Kurt and Finn had their own rooms), but he decided it was best to give his stepbrother some room.

"Something like that," Kurt replied, obviously in his own world as he finished skimming the last email (guess technology had changed the correspondence in the last ten years). "Hey, did you ever wonder why New Directions and the Warblers never got along?"

Finn tried to say _anything_ that would maybe seem smart. Really he just flapped his lips and then shook his head. "I just heard over the years that Dalton and William McKinley were rivals in the glee club department. It's like football team rivalries, though… I just never asked why."

Kurt shook his head and set the stack down on the floor for a minute. He realized that was a bad place and got up off his bed to his desk. "If you asked me, we should have really asked."

Finn wasn't about to argue. He loved his stepbrother (as just that), and honored his opinions. But something just wasn't right… "Whatever, man. My pizza's getting cold, and I got loads of homework tonight."

"Good luck," Kurt replied, picking up the stack again and rooting through it, reading over some minor details:

_I will not have you talking down to me! I will crush every last one of you if it the last thing I do. I will not be moved until I have brought you down for the last time and am going not only to Regionals, but to Nationals as well!_

Mr. Takashi was _bloodthirsty_, and that made his kids bloodthirsty as well. Mr. Schuester… was not bloodthirsty, and yet his kids remained so. Except the Warblers respected New Directions, and Kurt was all ready wondering what it would be like to befriend the Warblers. Could he actually go through with all this?

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** It isn't easy when you're harboring a deathly secret that could have you thrown from the ranks of the one thing that actually keeps you going. Only... now you have another thing that keeps you going, so maybe it wouldn't be too bad. But you still don't want to because your scared of the consequences and... wow. When you have a lot of things on your mind, other people just notice and yell at you. Maybe you could just... leave? But where would you go?


	7. Forbidden Friendship

_Author here._

_This is probably one of my favorite chapters to far. Not only because-voila!-some Klaine for you all. But also because I get to introduce-a little more, at least-my OCs. At least Aleksey and Pavel... two of my favorite OCs. (I know, I shouldn't play favorites. But they're actually the leading couple in the novel I'm writing so... I think I'm allowed just a bit, don't you think?) Anyway... I hope you like this chapter as much as I do, and I hope you have good things to say about my dear Pasha and Alyosha._

_**Please review.**_

_**I so don't own **_**Glee**_** or **_**How To Train Your Dragon**_**.** I sometimes dream about it, but it would never work out.

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Chapter Seven: Forbidden Friendship

At the next full rehearsal for Regionals, Kurt seemed… distant. At one point, he allowed Mike to bump into him (when he was clearly supposed to _move out of the way_) and then he caused a pile-up on himself with all of the girls on top of him, and Puck topping them all.

Will glanced at the countertenor when they had to take it from the top for the fifth time. "Kurt, please focus? If I tell it to the others, I mean it…"

Kurt nodded his head and managed to get through at least two numbers before his mind drifted again.

So… what was going through his head?

Well… the rivalry's roots, between New Directions and the Warblers, was definitely fresh in his mind. He couldn't get over the fact that the rivalry was practically over because Mr. Schuester seemed to want it too, and Kurt was all for it (at this point).

Next up in his mind were Pavel Tsarevna and Aleksey Skarlova. Obviously the other countertenor had a crush on the bespectacled blond. But, with all gay crushes, there was the prospect of him being straight. No wait… Blaine had stated he thought Aleksey and _Rayne_ were intimate. So did that mean… _TWO people like me_. Kurt smiled at the prospect. But he wasn't as attracted to either Pavel or Aleksey as he obviously was for Blaine Anderson.

Which was weird, because Kurt still had a crush on Sam (cue Sam stepping on his foot, slipping, and _landing on top of him_)—"Sorry, Sam…"

"Jeez, Hummel."

"FOCUS, Kurt!"

"Won't happen again, Mr. Schue." (Probably a lie.)—and yet, every time he caught Blaine's eye or thought about him or even talked to him (just that once. Oh well) his heart pounded faster than a rabbit on the run from a coyote. Even now, he was feeling faint (cue dizzy spell, running into Rachel, being caught by Finn)—"Kurt!"

"Kurtie, hon, are you all right?"

"Kurt Hummel, will you _please_ focus or I'm going to have to ask you to _leave_!"

"Kurt? Kurtie, are you okay? Hey! White boy, don't you walk away from me!"—Kurt had to get out of there. He had to see Blaine again, had to set things right and… maybe change his situation right then and there. He couldn't live without being friends with the Warblers.

* * *

Blaine was in civilian clothes when Kurt came to see him: a nice-fitting black shirt and jeans, and a skinny silver scarf was hung nicely around his neck. Looking out the window, Blaine looked like he was waiting for someone, but when Kurt walked into the room (like there wasn't any rivalry between them), he looked at Kurt and smiled.

"The Warblers and I saw _How To Train Your Dragon_ last night…" Blaine said, no hello or anything, just that adorable little smirk.

"Yeah? And..?" Kurt asked.

Blaine took his phone out of his jacket pocket and said, "We managed to find the sound clip of the end of the sequence. You know the song, maybe? It's called 'Forbidden Friendship?'"

Kurt put his hand to his cheek and smiled, "Oh my Gaga, I always cry at that part. Rachel and I act out the part at the end of that sequence, where the dragon finally lets Hiccup touch his nose? We act that out… only for some odd reason, _I'm_ the dragon…"

Blaine chuckled at the odd story and said, "I got it as a ringtone, but I don't know anyone I should use it for…"

Kurt blinked for a minute. Then he blushed. "Well… We would sort of have a forbidden friendship if… if you wanted to hang out some time."

"I'd love to," Blaine replied. "Can I have your number then? I'll send you the clip when I have it."

"Th-Thanks," Kurt said, and told the other boy his number.

Blaine texted him the clip, and Kurt saved his number, using the clip for the other boy's ringtone. Blaine must have done the same an instant before Kurt, because he was looking up at the other boy expectantly.

"I left my car back at school, so Pavel and Aleksey are coming to pick me up…" Blaine explained. "We're having a little 'Gays Afternoon Out' before we have to go to practice tonight for Warblers," he said, "Oh… I just came out…" he added sheepishly.

"Oh no… no. If you couldn't guess, I'm gay too," Kurt said, his heart warming to the idea that, yes, Pavel, Aleksey, and especially Blaine were gay.

"Wow… I… I thought you would be," Blaine replied, then pointed to his chest area as he added, "—Killer gay-dar—" then he grinned at the other boy as he continued, "but I never assume. We all thought Rayne, another Warbler—the metrosexual-looking African-American? – well anyway, we thought he was gay but… we found out the hard way that he was not. So I never assume."

Kurt nodded, "It's best not to assume anything these days, I guess."

"Well… Kyle—another Warbler, the especially fabulous Asian—would join us today, but he got roped into helping his mother shop for a dinner party they're doing this weekend, so… we might bump into him, but I doubt it," Blaine said, looking out the window again. "I _do_ hope, for my sake, that Pavel hasn't professed his love for Aleksey and they're making out in the car. The least they could do is wait until I get home…"

"Shut up, Anderson," a voice said from the door.

Kurt nearly jumped when he saw both Aleksey and Pavel at the door. Pavel smiled at him, "You're Kurt Hummel!" he said, excitedly skipping toward the other countertenor.

"Yeah… and you're going up against Sam this Friday…" Kurt said.

"Ooh… I'm nervous," Pavel said, extending his hand, "I'm Pavel Tsarevna. Feel free to call me Princess."

Kurt was taken aback, "Uhm… why would I do that? I just recently got out of being called 'Lady'—"

"Relax," Blaine said, picking up the small duffel bag from the end of the cot he had once occupied, "'Tsarevna' in Russian means princess. So Pavel's English name is Paul Princess. But we like to call him Pavel, Pasha, or Princess."

"Oh," Kurt replied, feeling foolish. He turned to Aleksey, "And do you have a translation of your name that serves as your nickname as well so I don't freak out again?" he asked.

The bespectacled blond pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before he took Kurt's extended hand, "No," he chuckled. "Just the Russian diminutive. I'm Aleksey Skarlova, but you may call me Alyosha."

"Me and Kurt are starting a forbidden friendship," Blaine said, lightly hitting the aforementioned male on the shoulder as he breezed past them to leave the room. "So we're starting by having a 'Gay's Afternoon Out' alongside you two. If you don't mind having two chaperones."

"No problem. But no hand-to-nose contact. You're not a giant lizard… cat… dog… thing," Aleksey said.

"Very eloquent, 'Lyosha. Especially towards the end," Blaine said, leading the way out of the room.

Kurt was blushing as he followed the others out. Pavel hung back to walk with him as Aleksey and Blaine took the lead out of the hospital. "So you're Toothless?" he asked the other countertenor.

"Nope! If anything, _I'm_ more dragon-like," Blaine said, looking back at the two, rather short, rather girlish boys.

"What? That makes the Warblers the dragons! I don't want to be a dragon!" Pavel whined, flailing his arms.

Kurt remembered Pavel was prone to hurting himself due to all this flailing and silliness and put Pavel's arms against his side in a rather awkward hug-like-thing. Pavel silently thanked him out of the corner of his mouth.

"Calm down, Pasha. You're more like those cute little 'Terrible' Terrors. Those little dragons that Toothless and Hiccup encountered and Hiccup gave the fish to and the little guy kind of curled up against like a little puppy or a kitty?" Blaine asked, laughing. "And Aleksey would the Nightmare. You often set yourself on fire…"

Aleksey groaned and rolled his eyes, "If by 'set on fire' you mean my passionate soul for all things music, then yes. Wes and David would be the two-headed Zippleback."

"Yes! They're never apart from each other. Except they both have girlfriends and they're totally straight… which makes me worry just a tad," Pavel replied, "Aaron and Dawei would be Gronkles. All meat and very little brain. Although Dawei's smart… he's just… _big_."

"Kyle would be a Nightmare too. Just 'cause he's scary," Blaine pointed out, "He has a big temper when it comes to the people he cares for," he said to Kurt, keeping the other boy in the conversation as much as possible.

"And Rayne and Jesse would be… Nadders? Those things looked like peacock/chicken things… and Jesse and Rayne think pretty highly of themselves…" Pavel said. "You know… pride and peacocks?" he asked when Kurt looked at him like he was nuts.

"And I'm sure everyone else would be some other type of dragon… but I don't want to think about it right now," Blaine said as they reached a very chic, black Mustang. "Oooh… looks like you got your car back, Leks…"

Aleksey rolled his eyes, "You think I was going to let our warbling hero go home in Pavel's stinker of a Suburu?"

"Hey! Don't make fun of Lassie! What has she ever done to you?" Pavel whined/asked.

"Pasha, your _car_ is named after a _dog_," Blaine replied, rubbing the boy's back, "Shotgun!"

"No fair! You distracted me! And Lassie's _reliable_, which is why I named her after that adorable little collie!" Pavel replied, sliding into the back of the car alongside Kurt

"She also saved Lyuba from a well, didn't she?" Aleksey asked, getting into the teasing session.

Pavel crossed his arms as Blaine opened the door for him. The car was a two-door, so Pasha went behind Blaine, and Kurt went behind Aleksey, and the other boys, gentlemen as they were, got in last, Aleksey finally putting the keys in the ignition.

"You guys… changed," Kurt said, looking mostly at Blaine.

"Yeah… we don't want to be in uniform when we go in public. We just wear the uniforms at Warbler practice and during classes," Pavel said, smoothing down his button-down pink shirt. "And when we perform at Sectionals. Probably Regionals too… and Nationals, if we get there."

"But Aleksey manages to do it all the time," Blaine quipped.

To his credit, Aleksey _was_ wearing a long-sleeved, button-down white shirt under a red and blue argyle sweater-vest and khaki pants. At least Pavel was wearing button down pink shirt and crisp jeans. A scarf would do nicely in Pavel's ensemble, but that was just Kurt.

"Where are we going?" Kurt suddenly asked.

"Afternoon snack at the mall, a little shopping, and then we're catching a quick improv show before we head back to Lima to drop you off and then us three'll go to Warbler practice," Pavel said.

"Good… because I think a scarf will make this ensemble look better on you," Kurt said, glancing over at the other countertenor.

Blaine chuckled from the front seat, but he turned on the radio and allowed the whole car to get into a cacophony of songs they heard on the station.

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** Now that Kurt has no fears about befriending the Warblers, can he continue the balance between being part of New Directions and this forbidden friendship between himself and the Warblers? And in the song-off between Pavel and Sam? Who exactly won that? Another notch on the New Directions end, or did the little Warbler win in the end?


	8. See You Tomorrow

_Hello all. La Princesse Morte here._

_Well... this chapter was both very fun to write and very sad. Pavel's whole story comes out, we meet a Queen and another gay couple shows their beautiful faces._

_This is probably one of the longest chapters that I have ever wrote... for fanfiction. About 3000 words and counting. Yeah... but its good stuff, I hope. I hope you like the OCs as much as I do. I'm kind of leaning toward favoritism. I haven't even fully met Elliot and Jimmy yet and I already adore them._

_Anyway, please enjoy this chapter and **review, if you could be so kind.**_

_**I don't own **_**Glee**_** or **_**How To Train Your Dragon**_**.** I don't own Christmas, either. I tried to steal it, but then Oogy Boogy decided that was a bad idea.

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_

Chapter Eight: See You Tomorrow

Kurt was still on a natural high from his day with the three younger gay boys of Dalton Academy.

"_We're usually called the Fab Four by the other Warblers… but without Kyle… you can be our fourth, for today!"_ _Pavel told him excitedly as they browsed the racks._

"_You'll only be the Fab Four if you dressed properly," Kurt replied, putting a rather fetching red and gold scarf against the other boy's chest._

"_Wait until you meet Kyle. He'll put your closet to shame…" Aleksey said from the sweater vest aisle._

"_Omigod. Blaine!" Kurt yelled. The aforementioned boy looked up from a belt that had caught his eye. "Get Leks away from the sweater vests!"_

Thank god Blaine had obliged, Kurt chuckled as he put some of the newer things he had bought in his closet. He had a really good time, but he _did_ want to meet this Kyle boy. To see if the rumors about his wardrobe were all true.

"_Sure, I'll tell you the next time we have a Gay's Afternoon Out. Hopefully our dedicated leader can make it. He might be in a drag show," Blaine told him. He had gotten out of the car in the parking lot of the hospital to walk Kurt to his car._

"…_Kyle's a drag queen?" Kurt asked._

"_Bona fide. His drag name is Martha Mallow. You know, like marsh-mallow? He's got a wonderful act. Maybe we can get tickets some time," Blaine suggested. "Though Aleksey and Pavel have seen him enough times at talent night… so it would be just us."_

_Kurt flushed at the thought. That wouldn't be so bad, actually. "That would be fun. Wow… such a culture shock, being with a bunch of… my kind all day. And the prospect of more time with… my kind."_

"_Wonderful, isn't it?" Blaine asked, grinning._

_They were now in front of Kurt's car. Blaine made to kiss the other boy's cheek (or something) but stopped short and stuck out his hand instead._

"_It's really wonderful," Kurt said, shaking the other's hand shyly. "It really is."_

"_I'm glad," Blaine replied, holding Kurt's hand (!) for longer than he meant to. He dropped his hand and gave an awkward wave to Kurt. "See you around, Kurt Hummel…"_

_As Blaine turned to leave, Kurt opened his door and slid into the driver's side, grinning like an idiot and not caring at all._

Kurt jumped when his phone buzzed and he saw that Mercedes was calling him. He had gotten quite a few texts from the members of New Directions, but he deleted them, because he knew he would call his major friends (he told Finn he forgot all about a charity event, told the same lie to Mr. Schuester as soon as everything was cleared up between him and Finn, and he was going to call Mercedes and Rachel, but he got distracted by the clothes he had bought… and the memories he had made) as soon as possible.

"Hello?"

"_White boy, where the hell do you go?"_

"Finn hasn't been texting everyone?"

"_No… but you tell me and I will tell everyone as soon as we're done here."_

"Please don't tell Rachel. I want to tell her myself."

A sigh. _"Fine. Where did you go!"_

"Charity group. I forgot I had to drive for an hour to get there. I volunteered a while back and they texted me in the middle of rehearsal…" Kurt lied. It had been the same lie he had told Finn and Mr. Schuester.

"_Does Schue know?"_

"I called him as soon as I told Finn about it."

"_All right. Hopefully Rachel doesn't barbeque you alive…"_

Kurt chuckled and said his goodbyes to his friend before looking through his contacts to give the same lie to his other best friend. Balancing time with the Warblers and time with New Directions. Could he do it?

* * *

"_It's the holiday season! You _have_ to help me pick out an outfit for this talent show."_

Kurt tried to calm the other countertenor down a bit over the phone, "All right, Pasha. I will. Tell me where you live and I'll be right down there. What is this talent thing anyway?"

"_It's more of a community Christmas show. Everyone in my neighborhood is helping raise money for charity by showing off their talents. Lyuba and Maggie are doing a little "Santa Baby" thing. Think _Mean Girls_ only toned down a whole bunch. The Children's Choir is going up caroling style… and I'm singing a solo. You know 'O Holy Night?'"_

"Classic. Well, I wish you all the best for the performance. Are you inviting any of the Warblers?" Kurt asked.

"_Aleksey lives on my street. He's playing the piano for me, and then playing 'Wish Liszt,' that toy shop madness German song?…"_

"Cute," Kurt said, taking his keys to his car off the table and yelling something at Finn, who was the only other person in his house. Burt and Carole were Christmas shopping.

Pavel told the other countertenor his address and they hung up, Kurt getting in his car to drive to the richer parts of town.

"You commute to Dalton?" he asked.

"Only on weekends. I board there the rest of the time," Pavel said, ushering him in to the higher middle class home. "I _still_ can't believe we're having song-offs on _winter vacation_."

"Well, you can thank Rach for that," Kurt replied, looking around the large-sized house.

"Ooh! Got a new boyfriend? Poor Aleksey…" a pretty blonde said, descending the stairs. Looking at the two, they were almost identical accept for the bigger chest, wider hips, and longer hair on the girl.

"Shit," Pavel said, putting up his finger-'just-a-minute'-"this is Kurt. He's _not_ my boyfriend. Aleksey still has a chance."

Lyuba laughed and suddenly hugged Kurt unexpectedly, "I don't care. He's family anyway. Friend, lover—if you're here, we at least trust you enough to invite you over."

The girl let go of Kurt—leaving him speechless—and picked up a rainbow duffel bag, "I'm off to Maggie's house," then, an aside to Kurt, "she lives at the end of the street," before she skipped out the door.

"They have to practice their act. Among other things," Pavel said, winking at the other boy lightly with a grin on his face. "Mags is Lyuba's adorable little girlfriend."

Kurt nodded and looked toward the end of the hall that connected the foyer and what looked like the living room. "So, where's your room? If we waste any more time here, that outfit will never get picked out…"

"Right!" Pavel replied, excitedly rushing up the stairs. Kurt stayed at least one step behind him just in case his friend fell down the steps. As it were, Pavel only tripped over the last stair and landed face first into the plush white carpeting in the hallway. Kurt shook his head as he helped the fallen Warbler up and they continued down the hall to Pavel's room.

The room was spacious, painted a nice light blue. The bed-sheets, and most of the wall coverings at least matched, but otherwise, it was clean and there was color everywhere. A large bed was pushed off in the middle of the wall to the left, with a bedside table attached. There was a large wardrobe across from the bed, with a desk on the right next to it. A garbage can sat on the other side of the wardrobe.

"Wow… you're a man after my own heart," Kurt commented, going to the window, which was to the left of the bed, if you were looking toward it. "Where does Aleksey live?" he asked, climbing on the window seat.

Pavel blushed and came behind the other countertenor, looking over. He pointed to a brown house, built much the same way as Pavel's was. It was across the way and two houses over. "Over there."

"Mmm… I bet he's looking for your face in the window," Kurt teased, "I must be such an eyesore…"

Pavel flicked him on the arm and then hauled the other over to his white, white, _white_ wardrobe.

* * *

After a few minutes of going through Pavel's wardrobe, they settled on a black button down shirt and black jeans. Kurt was just going through the other boy's ties when something struck him. "What are you doing at Dalton when your sister still goes to your old school?"

Pavel froze next to him, and Kurt found himself pausing the search for the perfect tie to sit the other down, "That was a bad question, wasn't it?" he asked, "I'm sorry."

"No," Pavel said, clutching at Kurt for a moment. "Mr… Mr. King doesn't touch girls. Only… Only boys between 12 and 14."

"A… a teacher? Harassing freshman?" Kurt asked, kneeling down in front of him. "And… the principal allows this?"

"He has no clue what's going on. Of course, my old friends there are… working things out, trying to get him exposed. But I… I had to go. I told Aleksey and… he said I should go to Dalton. So I told Aunt 'Tasha—my legal guardian—who told her brother who transferred me to Dalton in about a day…" Pavel said, staring forward at a spot on the floor.

"I'm so sorry," Kurt said, looking at Pavel's scared face. Pavel's pupils were dilated, showing off his wonderfully grey-silver eyes. "I… shouldn't've asked…"

Pavel snapped his eyes back to Kurt and was suddenly smiling again, "Welcome to the ranks. The Warblers and my advisor at Dalton are the only people outside my family who know…"

Kurt felt a rush of pride, but remembered the fear in his friend's eyes as he told of what happened. Karofsky and being unpopular as a member of New Directions now meant nothing to Kurt. He looked back to the wardrobe, "Right then. I think you look best in purple or red… and since it's a Christmas show, the red would fit a bit more…"

* * *

"Wow… when you said he did regular shows I thought it would be a while until the next one," Kurt said. He and Blaine were dressed neatly in button down shirts, Kurt's in red to match the festivities—it was Christmas Eve—and Blaine in black. It must have been a casual show, because Blaine told him he could wear jeans, which in the end Kurt decided to wear.

"Oh, it's his annual Christmas show," Blaine told him, elbowing him. "Oh, and just a warning, Martha's pretty flirty, and since I may be the only boy she knows… we may have to go up and be her bitches."

Kurt smiled, "Actually looking forward to that. Beats shaking hands, eh?"

Blaine shook his head, chuckling a bit at Kurt's enthusiasm, "All right then. You're ready for Ms. Martha Mallow then!" He mused in silence as they flashed their tickets at the door. He then commented, "Who ever is up against Kyle in the song-off is in trouble. Then again, Finn's in trouble as well…"

"Well… Pavel won against Sam, and that Elliot Jones won against Puck last week, so… Finn has been practicing a lot," Kurt replied. "It doesn't help that he's dating Rachel Berry, but you know how that is by now…"

There was all ready a bit of a crowd waiting for Martha at the theater. They were sitting down in normal chairs you would find at any theater. The red curtain was sealing off the crowd from the stage. Blaine slipped in at the front, which was obviously saved for any Warblers who wanted to go. Since most of the Warblers had seen Martha Mallow, Blaine and Kurt seemed like the only two there…

…Until two other boys stopped dead at seeing Blaine there. Blaine jumped up and grinned. "Oh this is _good_…"

The two boys in question were blushing as they let go of each other's hands. One was like a skinnier version of the brute-like Aaron Hamilton, all chocolate skin and silky black hair. The other had almost white-blond hair and exquisite grey eyes, almost the same shade as Pavel's.

"James Hamilton and Elliot Jones, hm?" Blaine asked, crossing his arms over his chest. "I always knew you were in the closet about each other…"

Kurt was standing now, "You're Warblers too?"

"Yeah. They came out to me a few months ago, and to the Warblers last week…" Blaine told him.

Elliot, the pale one, hid behind James for a moment before James pulled him out from behind him, holding his hand tightly, "So what? You guys are the Fab Four, so more gay people going out together is good, right?"

Blaine hit James's upper arm playfully, "Relax, Jimmy," he said, "The more the merrier. Join Kurt and I, will you?"

Just then the lights dimmed and Kurt and Blaine were in their seats in a flash, Jimmy and Elliot right behind them. Blaine raised his eyebrows at Kurt excitedly as the red curtains opened and…

… A beautiful, tall, bespectacled Asian woman walked regally out between them as they opened. She was beautifully made up, wearing a sexy white fluff-trimmed red dress, almost like an Asian Mrs. Claus. "Ladies and gentlemen, queers and allies. I am Martha Mallow, and I'm going to be your tour guide into the heart of Christmas!" she said into her headset, a glorious smile on her face.

* * *

Kyle and Martha weren't much different. Even at the small dinner after the show, when Martha had taken off the make-up and dress to reveal Kyle Pinyin: Dalton Warbler and excellent dresser, Kurt was still in awe of the Dalton senior.

"You do that three times a month?" Kurt asked, his mouth still open as they talked in the booth.

Elliot, Jimmy, Blaine and him had been a wonderful part of the show as well as invited afterwards to dinner by Kyle. They had played reindeer (Kurt had been Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, and Blaine, with hearts on his 'flank,' had played Cupid), elves, and even the sleigh at one point.

"If I can help it. Sometimes four or five," Kyle replied. He glanced over Kurt and deemed him acceptable, "Snappy dresser, kid."

That was a pretty big compliment for Kurt, who loved Kyle even more than he had Martha, simply because he was wearing a whole outfit from the Armani men's collection.

"Thanks, Kyle," Kurt said, on Cloud Nine and rising.

Kyle smiled at him, which almost melted the younger boy, but soon Kyle's gaze turned to Elliot and Jimmy: "You two a couple now?"

Elliot blushed and looked off to the side.

"It's nothing to be ashamed about. Alexander and I have the same dynamics: less-than-manly male and then the kid who's dwarfed by his older brother. Alexander says its tough walking in Oliver's shoes."

"_The_ Oliver? Oliver _Saxon_?" Kurt asked. "You're dating the one television star in America who plays a _happy_ gay teenager? The one that revolutionized science fiction/fantasy by sleeping with the other male characters on the show and no one blinked an eye?"

"Poor Alexander. He had a bit part in the series until they killed off the character when the ratings at LOGO went through the roof," Kyle sighed, "But yes. Alexander is _the_ Oliver Saxon's younger brother," he turned back to Jimmy, "No need to be in the closet again. Elliot's little miss queen of home ec, isn't he?"

"Would people stop calling me a girl? My brain makes testosterone just like the rest of you," Elliot said, straightening up.

Kurt smiled over at him, "You too? I have a teacher at my school who I _just_ got to stop calling me 'Lady.'"

Elliot glanced over at him with a slight grin, "And you freaked out at our nickname for Princess Pasha, huh? All in good fun. We have a zero tolerance for bullying at Dalton and yet…"

"Nicknames happen?" Kurt asked, raising one eyebrow. "I'm still called Porcelain."

Elliot chuckled, "I see why you and Pavel hang out. Pavel happens to be one of my best friends as well. The ones the others deem—" here Elliot opted to use air quotes "—a little more girly than the rest of us."

Kurt rather liked this one.

Blaine suddenly banged on the table, getting Kyle's attention. "What is it, oh mighty soloist?" Kyle asked. Then he started singing "Teenage Dream" in his falsetto voice he used when he was Martha Mallow.

"Hush, Kyle. Can I use your rehearsal space this weekend?" Blaine asked, glancing over at Kurt.

"Why?" Kyle asked, taking a sip of the diet soda he had ordered.

"I want Kurt to sing a duet with me on Saturday," he said, crooking his head at Kurt, "That's an invitation, Porcelain…"

Kurt's eyes widened and his eyebrows shot right up. "All… All right?"

"Good then, what do you say, Ky?" Blaine asked, his grin widening as he turned back to his fatherly (motherly?) friend.

Kyle shook his head, "Since you asked the boy right in front of me, how can I say no? I'll talk to my staff about opening the space up on Saturday. Just give me a time sometime before then so the doorman can let you in…"

Kurt looked to Elliot, who simply covered his mouth to chuckle. These Warblers were quite influential, and Kurt was liking every minute spent in their company…

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** Baby it's _cold_ out there! Blaine gets his duet with our favorite member of New Directions, but will that set off a dangerous set of events that will get one of them, or even both, hurt by his team?


	9. Duet

_Hello again, La Princesse Morte here._

_This chapter does feature our favorite couple singing our favorite Christmas song (you know it became your favorite after that episode. Don't lie). Thank goodness this is just a Klaine chapter. Not that I don't love my characters, I just think this couple has been long overdue for some 'alone time.' I'd like to thank CP Coulter for the idea of Disney/Dreamworks/Pixar/other Folktale nicknames/codenames. _

_Other than that... I really want to see the duet version of "Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer.' Perhaps next Christmas I'll write the music for that._

_**I don't own **_**Glee _or_ How To Train Your Dragon**_. I do own the DVD of the latter, and Kurt and Blaine's rendition of 'Baby It's Cold Outside' is one of the top played on my iPod...

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Chapter Nine: Duet

Kurt got to the space Saturday afternoon, and Blaine was leaning on his car. They were in an underground garage, and even in the dim light Blaine looked a little cheeky. "Ready for your first foray into being a star?"

"If it involves a feather boa and some decent heels then I may be just that," Kurt replied.

Blaine laughed, "Not today. But we do get Kyle's sacred rehearsal space," he said. He put his hands in his pockets as they walked, only taking them out again when they reached a large grey door.

The room was pretty bland, all mirrored walls and grey floors. But it smelled of good perfume and a successful stage career, whatever that smelled like. Blaine found the boom-box at the end of the room, near the piano. There was a couch in the middle of the room, which had probably been moved so Kyle (or Martha?) could take notes in comfort for new shows.

"I have Christmas karaoke favorites, if that's all right?" Blaine asked, looking toward the other male.

"What duets are there for Christmas?" Kurt asked.

Blaine straightened and grinned at him, "Only the best romantic song in the world…"

Kurt raised an eyebrow, "And that is…?"

"'Baby It's Cold Outside'?" Blaine asked, "Please tell me you know that one, 'cause we could do a version of 'Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer', but I really, really, _really_ had my heart set on 'Baby It's Cold Outside.'" Blaine had clasped his hands pleadingly and was bending his knees a little bit.

Kurt put a hand to his mouth to suppress a little chuckle. Yes, he knew the song. How could he not? "That's actually one of my favorites. I guess it just slipped my mind… as a man and woman usually sing it…"

"You forget. I heard you sing 'Defying Gravity.' I know you can sing the higher ranges of 'Baby It's Cold Outside,'" Blaine reminded the other.

Kurt rolled his eyes and waltzed over to the music player, "I can tell you have it prompted," he said, sticking his tongue out before pressing the play button and then the song began.

Blaine was absolutely amazed. They hadn't practiced the song together or anything, but Kurt had a natural rhythm and a natural heart for the stage. There in that grey room, Kurt and Blaine danced around each other, daring each other to touch one another, daring the other to make the first move. Kurt was such a tease during the entire song that Blaine didn't know why he didn't take the boy into a dip and kiss him right then. Singing with Kurt was an actual dream come true. After hearing his solo for the song-off, Blaine had wanted to sing with Kurt Freaking Hummel.

When the song ended, they wound up on the couch, breathless and with hearts beating like frightened rabbits. Kurt turned to Blaine and Blaine in turn looked at Kurt. "That was… really good," Kurt said, getting up suddenly and walking to one of the mirrored walls to fix his hair (which hadn't moved since that morning, probably).

Blaine got up slowly as well, suddenly deep in thought. "We're still rivals, though," he mused.

Kurt turned to him, "Yeah?" he asked, "Tina's singing against Aaron. What about it?"

"I can't actually sing with you. None of us will ever sing _together_," Blaine replied.

Kurt walked over to him and took his hands gently, "But we just _did_."

Blaine smiled at him, "I wonder if we can change the world we live in. Like in _How To Train Your Dragon_. Mess with the status quo a little bit, and you get perfect harmony in the end, right?"

"We're all in this together?" Kurt asked, a cheeky grin on his perfect face.

Blaine shook his head, "Except we're not up against a sadistic pair of twins. We're up against a whole team, who _you_ happen to be apart of."

"Romeo and Juliet," Kurt put in.

"Not quite. I think we're more _How To Train Your Dragon_," Blaine reminded.

Kurt's heart sank, but Blaine was right. They weren't _in love_ per se; on the brink, perhaps. But they definitely could be a Viking and his dragon.

"So, Toothless. What's next?" Kurt asked, dropping Blaine's hands gently and giving the other a smile.

"Well… I think we need to show McKinley what we both can do…" Blaine replied, returning the smile, "We can sing another duet, only this time, with more flare and practice…"

Kurt liked the sound of that, "That sounds like fun. But can we arrange a duet instead of finding one? I happen to know a number that would knock New Directions off their feet when they heard our duet rendition of it…"

Blaine liked where the other boy was going, "That sounds awesome. I have a party to get ready for, but if you find the song, we can certainly get to work on it."

"But Christmas is soon. I'll need to stay home with my family and have my own Christmas with New Directions," Kurt said, his smile fading, "I can't avoid my own team and lie to them during Christmas, now can I?"

"No…" Blaine mused, "I guess not." He was deep in thought before an idea struck him, and his body responded in a slight jump: "How about this. We keep in touch over texts. I'll change your name to Hiccup and you change mine to Toothless."

Kurt took out his phone and smiled, "Oh cute. Now we have nicknames for each other."

"More like codenames," Blaine replied, quick as a chess-clock thumper, as he tapped into his contacts to change Kurt's name. Kurt's heart sank again, but he did the same. Finally, Blaine looked back up at the other and said; "We'll probably see each other sometime next weekend… unless you would like to join me at this party?"

Kurt looked at him and they shared a quick moment before Kurt remembered how he had to move his lips to speak: "What for?"

"Just as your team likes to spend time with each other over Christmas, my team does as well. This year, we're congregating at the Hamiltons' house close to Dalton for a Christmas party, and then a sleepover for those who can't make the drive back to Lima. That's pretty much Pavel, Aleksey, and Elliot. I'll have to stay to chaperone, as I now know that several couples can evolve from that… you might want to stay too, since you're a Lima bean."

Kurt blinked, "A what?"

"A Lima bean? That's what we call people who commute from Lima. Pavel made it up… quite a story. I'm sure he'll tell you about it tonight… How about it?" Blaine asked.

Kurt smiled, "I'll have to pop home to get some stuff…"

"Of course. I'll follow you and you can drop your car off as well. Then we can carpool and you'll actually get there instead of following my cruel directions…" Blaine said as they walked out of the space back into the car garage.

"All right," Kurt said, grinning in happiness, "This way I can continue this forbidden friendship with the Warblers and still spend time with my dear Vikings. I mean, New Directions."

"They are Vikings. But I digress," Blaine said. "You're getting the hang of this, aren't you?"

Kurt paused at the door to his car, "Hopefully I won't have to get too attached to the situation…"

Blaine put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, "You won't. It'll all be over soon."

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** A party at the Hamiltons is certainly crazy. But Kurt meets some new faces, as well as some old ones. Truths are told, fluff is... fluffed, and... Jimmy, what are you doing with the mistletoe?


	10. The Other Side

_Hiya, La Princesse Morte here._

_I'll just say this chapter has a whole lotta crazy in it and call it good. 'kay? 'kay._

_**I don't own them! I don't, I don't!

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Chapter Ten: The Other Side

When Kurt and Blaine got to the _very_ posh house, the door was opened not by a maid (though Kurt could see a lot of them in the general vicinity of the foyer), but by Elliot. Kurt was at once hugged and pulled in by the smaller boy, and Blaine entered a few seconds later, chuckling lightly.

"No booze, no girls," Elliot said, "Except the maids. But we don't know their names, so it doesn't really matter."

"Hey!" Jimmy said, suddenly at Elliot's side, "_I_ know their names."

"Well… you're the host," Elliot offered. "Weren't you hanging mistletoe?"

"Yeah, but then Kyle pulled me in one of his 'Big Daddy K' kisses and I took everything down. No… I've got a better idea," Jimmy said, a Cheshire grin forming on his dark lips, "Watch…"

He found his victims: a tall, jock-like boy with blond hair slicked back, and a friend of his, obviously, a pale boy with dark hair and bright blue eyes. They were talking animatedly, though the darker-haired male seemed a little paranoid and was clutching some sort of medallion close to his chest.

Elliot, Blaine, and Kurt watched in horror as Jimmy crept up to the two and raised his hand, a sprig of mistletoe clutched between his first two fingers and thumb. "Gotcha!" he called, causing the two to look up, go paler, and groan.

Elliot sighed, "The blond is Michael Nehyudov. He's definitely more gay than straight, though he says he's bisexual and could be persuaded to date or marry a woman if she was respectable enough. The other is Kevin Barashkov. He's into all that paranormal nonsense, but he's dating a really pretty Asian named Yuki Chang. A girl."

Kurt and Blaine watched as Kevin pushed the medallion towards the plastic plant in Jimmy's hands invoking… some weird god from maybe the Norse or Greek pantheons… Kurt wasn't quite sure and he couldn't hear over the sound of the music (which was a certain Katy Perry song that a certain Warbler soloist had once sang for a certain song-off that a certain friend of Kurt's had won).

Finally, like a train wreck, Kurt, Elliot and Blaine watched as Michael kissed Kevin (barely) on the lips and stormed off toward the kitchen. Jimmy had all ready torn across the room and was hiding himself in one of the large palm trees leaning against the wall. Elliot shook his head, "The least he could have done was put the mistletoe above Michael and Dmitry. Then Dmitry would at least be in heaven."

Blaine chuckled, "Poor Dmitry. Spurned in love thanks to Jimmy and a sprig of mistletoe."

"Another potential gay couple?" Kurt asked, raising an eyebrow at the two.

"Juniors Michael Nehyudov and Dmitry Polinski. Mike plays basketball and Dmitry plays football, then basketball, and then baseball. You know the type," Elliot said, shaking his head, "Maybe he'll be here later. If he knew that Jimmy made Michael and _Kevin_ kiss each other… well… he's very emotional, despite being a jock…"

Kurt clucked his tongue, "There's more drama at an all-boy's school than at McKinley, even," he said. "How many gay couples are there, by the way?"

"Potentially?" Blaine asked, "Elliot, why don't you get us all something to drink? I'll have a Squirt and if they have Red Vines, gimme. Please."

Elliot smiled, "That's sounds good. You want anything, Kurt?"

"Diet Coke, please. And some Red Vines," Kurt replied.

When the white-blond had left the vicinity, Blaine looked at Kurt and winked, "Elliot and Jimmy are one, officially, even if they deny it. Pasha and 'Lyosha, when it happens, are two. Mike and Dmitry, if it ever happens, are three. Dawei's got a girlfriend. Aaron and Rayne have girlfriends, Wes and David have girlfriends, and Kev has a girlfriend as well... There are tons more here that are all sorts of sexualities… but I think they're looking anywhere but at other Warblers."

"And you?" Kurt asked, looking up at Blaine through the corners of his eyes coyly.

"I'm not quite _taken_, but I am taken _with_ someone," Blaine replied, winking again in Kurt's general direction.

_Smooth_, Kurt thought, blushing.

Suddenly David ran up to them, almost knocking over poor Elliot in the process, followed closely by Wes. "Have you seen him!"

"Who?" Blaine asked.

"Jimmy Freaking Hamilton!" Wes cried.

Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, then turned to look at the other two, "Ohhh…"

"Haven't seen 'im. Sorry," Blaine replied, smiling cheekily at his friends.

They groaned and shoved each other in one direction in the search for the 'creepy little sophomore.'

Elliot sighed, "Jimmy is a strange one, but those two being heterosexual life partners since their sophomore year did set them up for a kiss under the mistletoe. Rule is, if you're a Warbler, you have to kiss _on the lips_. And you have to kiss the person closest to you." He handed the two their drinks, and handed out three Red Vines to each, leaving three for himself.

"Wes and David _always_ deserve it at these parties. Even if we _hang_ the mistletoe they're going to get it," Blaine replied. "Hey, speaking of people who are going to get it, where's Pav and Leks?"

"Around. Aleksey's probably choosing music in the next room and Pasha's been following him around like a puppy, _totally_ ignoring his best friend," Elliot replied, pointing to himself with both pointer fingers and mouthing 'Me,' as he rolled his eyes.

Kurt and Blaine laughed and made their way to the other room, where Aleksey indeed was, fiddling with the sound system and hoping to some higher power that Aaron didn't only have rap in his iPod. Kurt and Blaine watched as he asked Pavel for his iPod, and began setting it up.

"Pavel _does_ have some better stuff, actually. Aaron has rap, and then whatever songs we happen to use for the Warblers," Blaine explained.

A song from _Chicago_ came in through the speakers all around the massive house. "Mr. Cellophane," to be specific.

"Holy mother of Hermes," Kurt said, taking the iPod from Aleksey and flipping through it. "We are soul-mates, Pasha! _Chicago, Wicked, Evita, RENT_… _Spring Awakening?_ Honey. You are my _god_ with this collection. Where have you been all my life?"

"In a cupboard under some stairs," Pavel replied, shrugging. "I've got those two albums on there as well. And this is only one of my iPods. You she should see what songs I've got on my regular one."

"Celine Dion, Spears, Gaga, Perry, Buble, Celtic Woman, Celtic Thunder, Taylor Swift… many others…" Blaine said, "We use a lot of his music choices for our performances."

Kurt went wide-eyed, "I love you, Pavel Ivanovich Tsarevna. No seriously. I'm not trying to take you away from Leks here or anything, but if it doesn't work out between you two, will you marry me instead?"

Pavel blushed and laughed, "Can you cook?"

"And wrap a broken leg," Kurt replied.

Pavel laughed, "I'll think about it."

"Quick, Leks! Make a move _now_ and make it work!" Blaine said, shoving at Aleksey.

Aleksey was flimsy at best, and took only one step forward before…

… Jimmy and his sprig of mistletoe happened.

He was there between the two freshman boys like a cheetah and two sickly antelope. It took Aleksey and Pavel about a second to notice what was being dangled between them, but then they did, they first looked at Jimmy, pleading with the adversary before turning simultaneously to Blaine and Kurt, who shook their heads, knowing that as Warblers they _had_ to do it.

"Come on, lovebirds. You know the rules," Jimmy cackled.

Kurt grabbed Blaine's hand and tugged at it so they weren't looking at the two, giving them space. Jimmy didn't seem to care whether or not he saw, he just wanted them to _do_ it. Kurt, seeing the iPod still in his hands, flipped through it, and saw the _Lion King_ musical as one of the albums. He switched the song from a very daring number from _Spring Awakening_ to a familiar song from the soundtrack.

'Can You Feel The Love Tonight' drifted over the speakers, and Kurt saw a flash of a smile on Blaine's lips. He squeezed Kurt's hand and snuck a peak at the lovebirds behind them, making the 'thumb's up sign with his free hand before an "Awww…" escaped from his lips.

Kurt turned right as Aleskey and Pavel broke away, both blushing madly, and Jimmy running off as Wes and David spotted him.

"Dammit!" David shouted, splitting off from his friend to maybe catch him somewhere else.

Wes ruffled the hair of Pavel and Aleksey, congratulating them before he tore off after Jimmy, hoping to meet David somewhere where they could apprehend the little menace.

"I hate Jimmy right now," Pavel said. But Aleksey had taken his hand shyly, and Blaine took this to mean that it was time for him and Kurt to leave them.

"We'll see you two around… Do you think Dmitry is here yet?" Blaine asked of either one.

Aleksey shrugged, "Check between everyone. He's a rascally little man…"

Blaine laughed and moved himself and Kurt through the house until he spotted someone. He pointed, "That's Dmitry."

Dmitry was blond-haired, with dark blue eyes (even though Kurt couldn't see them in the dim lighting). The thing that caught Kurt completely by surprise was the fact that Dmitry was _tiny_. He was skinny and short. "He's… part of the football, basketball and baseball teams?" he asked Blaine incredulously.

"He's a kicker on the football team; a high jumper, so they need him on the basketball team; and he can throw a killer pitch," Blaine said, "And don't underestimate his martial arts skills. That kid is a blur."

Kurt remembered his brief stint as a kicker, being reminded that kicker usually was the smallest player on the team, "I guess that makes sense. I was a kicker once."

Blaine glanced at him, remembering their hands were still clasped (he immediately let Kurt's go, much to the other's displeasure), and beckoned Kurt over to the short boy. "Yo, Dmitry."

"Where's the mistletoe?" the other asked after nodding curtly at the soloist.

"Miss it?" Blaine asked, chuckling. "Jimmy's been going around acting as the doorframe with the mistletoe. Just bringing it to everyone. He's gotten Wes and David, Aleksey and Pavel, Kevin and—" here Kurt elbowed him in the ribs a bit deep and he winced, "—anyway. This is Kurt Hummel. You remember? The one that beat Jesse?"

Dmitry smiled politely and took Kurt's hand firmly, "Nice to meet you. Since you only have twelve members… maybe we'll be competing soon, hm?" he said.

Kurt nodded, "Perhaps. And I would watch out for Jimmy. Not only him and his mistletoe, but also because Wes and David have been trying to get him for making them kiss."

"They deserved it," Dmitry replied, flipping his hand a little and laughing. "They're _always_ together."

"So I've heard," Kurt replied, a smile on his lips.

"Have you seen Mike?" Dmitry asked of Blaine. He seemed so casual about it, but Kurt couldn't help but smile almost knowingly at the blond.

"He's… around," Blaine replied, making an ambiguous gesture.

Dmitry nodded politely at them, and pushed passed them to look for his unrequited crush. Kurt turned to Blaine and gave him a hurt look, "Do you know if Michael likes Dmitry back?"

"They haven't come to me or Kyle yet about each other," Blaine mused, leaning against a table. "God… that really makes me sad that I just _don't know_ about those two…"

Kurt glanced up at him and smiled, "That's all right. You can always make them sing a ballad to each other and see if they actually _sing_ to one another… Mr. Schue does that with us all the time…"

Blaine thought about it, "Well… I guess I could put it past Wes and David. But if it's only for those two, then it might not be in the group's interest for us all to do it."

Kurt sighed and shook his head, closing his eyes a bit, "I don't know. I just want to see every one happy. I mean, practically everyone has gotten together tonight. Aleksey and Pavel, Elliot and Jimmy—"

_Me and you_.

Suddenly, there was a loud clap and Jimmy was yelling, "GOTCHA!"

Kurt looked at and saw that Jimmy was dangling the mistletoe _over his and Blaine's heads_, looking between them expectantly.

"Okay, not fair, Jimmy," Blaine said, "He doesn't even _go_ to our school!"

"So? _You're_ a Warbler," Jimmy retorted, "And you two totally dig each other."

Kurt and Blaine both blushed furiously, and Kurt was suddenly annoyed. So, quick as lightening, he grabbed at the plastic plant, catching it just as Elliot ran in and found them, moving to Jimmy's side. Kurt clutched the plant, kissed Blaine swiftly on the mouth, and dangled the mistletoe over Jimmy and Elliot's head, just as Wes and David ran in, skidded to a stop, and put their hands to their smiling mouths.

Elliot's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates, and the smile in Jimmy's faded as he stared point blank at the boy dangling a piece of plastic mistletoe over him and his boyfriend. They must have denied the fact that they were together a lot, for suddenly both her flushing and pleading with Kurt not to make them do it.

"What was the rule again?" Kurt asked, rolling his pretty eyes to the ceiling a bit as the faked a thoughtful look.

"Ah yes…" David said, putting an arm around Jimmy's shoulder. Wes came and did the same for Elliot. "I think the rule is that Warblers _have_ to kiss under the mistletoe…"

Jimmy and Elliot gulped and turned to each other, just as Wes and David released them and pushed them into each other. They gave each other worried looks before Jimmy moved his head and kissed Elliot delicately on the mouth. The whole room broke out in applause, and Aaron Hamilton, sitting in the corner, even started tearing at his brother and his boyfriend's first kiss.

* * *

The rest of the evening went by smoothly. Jimmy was confiscated of the mistletoe, so the party continued with no more mishaps. When the party ended, Blaine, Kurt, Jimmy, Elliot, Aleksey and Pavel crashed in the living room while finishing up _Moulin Rouge_. All in all, Kurt had had a wonderful time. But his hands kept fluttering up to his lips, and he remembered he had the audacity to _kiss Blaine Anderson_.

(Blaine kept putting his hands on his lips, still in awe that he had _been kissed by Kurt Hummel_.)

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** With a song in mind, Kurt and Blaine are ready to tackle New Directions. Rehearsals for Kurt and Blaine's new duet continue, and all too soon it's almost time for them to perform. Will the choice of song make them realize something deeper in their relationship?


	11. This Time For Sure

**_I own nothing. Well... I own some if not most of the other Warblers. But otherwise. No._**

**Please review if you get the chance. Every word is magical.**

**_

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Chapter Eleven: This Time For Sure

"'Beautiful Soul?'" Blaine asked, looking through the score that Kurt had made. "And you managed to make it into a duet with both our voice ranges. You're incredible."

Kurt fought back a blush, but smiled and said, "I know."

That had been back in January, when Blaine and Kurt had met up after several at-home festivities with their own groups and families. After New Year's, though, they were both back in school, and so they went back to spending as much time as they could with each other while balancing practice and other friends and homework and any other things they were involved in.

They got to work right away, merely talking about choreography and costumes in the beginning. Over the next few weeks, they would meet every week in Blaine's basement to figure out choreography.

"No. I refuse to put jazz hands in a pop piece," Kurt said, stopping the disk he had mixed for the karaoke track.

"Sorry, sorry. I had the _Chicago_ soudtrack on repeat last night, and I had seen the movie with my family and… well, there are jazz hands in several of the numbers and I guess I had a dream about it or something because the whole show has been popping up all over my day," Blaine replied, shaking his head. "Can we do that again?"

Kurt sighed and pressed the 'back' button on the disk player. "Remember it's come together, 12 beats of 4-beat ball-room, release, spin and come together again. No. Jazz. Hands."

Blaine chuckled and crossed his heart childishly before Kurt made them go again.

Soon, Kurt was bringing in swatches of cloth for color schemes for costumes.

"I don't look good in sparkles. Please don't humiliate me in front of New Directions by making me wear sparkles," Blaine had told the other boy point blank at their first practice.

"All right…" Kurt replied, a bit taken aback. He had thought "Beautiful Soul" and sparkles would fit perfectly. Oh well… He was thinking of combining the Dalton blue with William McKinley's bright red anyway, with a neutral creamy white to balance out the two. (The convergence of two cultures/communities was the big theme in the whole performance. The song was meant to be just a Warbler and a member of New Directions singing to each other: not just Kurt and Blaine. Though that didn't stop the two from focusing on each other in practice.)

"How about hats?" Kurt asked.

"I don't see any tap-dancing or dancing with canes like they do in old movies. Unless we want to add that," Blaine said.

"No. No top hats. Think Dick Tracy but more colorful and made by yours truly and some other dexterous Warblers. Mostly Elliot because I don't trust Pasha with a needle and thread," Kurt replied, shuddering slightly.

Blaine laughed. "Yes, Pasha and anything pointy is disaster. And Elliot? He made me this shirt for my last birthday," he said, pointing to the very well made, button-down shirt (purple with white horizontal stripes) he was wearing. "You have good tastes in your workers."

Kurt smiled, "He showed me some of his work, including a dress he made for Maggie's Sweet Sixteen. _You_ have good tastes in _friends_."

They set a date for when Blaine would come to a rehearsal of New Directions, Kurt would beg and plead his group to listen to all the Warblers and New Directions could accomplish together, and they would perform. They thought the best night would be the night before Regionals, so that they wouldn't be so hard on each other.

"And that's a wrap for today," Kurt said, falling onto the old, beat-up couch in Blaine's basement.

* * *

"And since we are in our second cycle, please pick out our next soloist for our last song-off before we have to focus on our selections for Regionals," Aleksey called as New Directions shuffled off to their buses after another win for Dalton (fourth in four weeks.)

"Damn, we better win next week or we're going to be horrible in rehearsal just thinking about it," Santana commented as she flounced up the steps into the long yellow bus.

Kurt was rubbing Mercedes' back—she had just lost against a Warbler who's name escaped him, even though Kurt had met almost all of the Dalton glee club. He and Blaine had been shutting themselves off from both the Warblers and New Directions to practice for the death-defying duet for both their teams.

"It'll be all right, Mercedes. It's okay, baby girl," Kurt whispered as Rachel made all three of them squeeze into a seat (all right, so Kurt had to sit half on Rachel's lap, half on Mercedes for it to work, but they weren't complaining about the situation).

"Can you sing next week, Kurt?" Finn asked, "You won against Jesse, and I think you can win again because your father's on the judge panel."

"Guys, don't assume that! My father is fair, and if who I am up against simply has got more than me in the three places they judge on—voice, use of space, and emotional attachment to the song—then so be it," Kurt replied.

Puck, Finn, Mike and some of the other members stared at him. "Wow… you were all about beating the Warblers at Sectionals. What's gotten into you?" Puck asked.

"Nothing. I'm tired and I just want to go sleep off this week," Kurt lied, staring front and center at the disgustingly green leather seat in front of him.

The other decided not to push it, and as they got off the bus and went to their own cars, Rachel stopped Kurt, "I'm nominating you on Monday… the least we can do is try something that worked the last time."

Kurt was still angsting from the confrontation on the bus, "You worked last time…"

Rachel was taken aback, but gave her friend a hug, understanding that her friend was feeling a little low. Him bringing up her loss last week was a low blow, but Kurt had his moments of utter bitchyness, and Rachel accepted that tonight was another one. "Have a good weekend. Call me if you want to have coffee or something. It's been a while."

It _had_ been a while. Kurt had been so caught up with Blaine and this performance that he had completely forgotten about Rachel and Mercedes. He gave his friend a thumbs up and got into his stepbrother's car.

* * *

"Hey, white boy. Despite your outburst, you're gonna represent us," Mercedes said, flipping through the box of music Schuester had put in front of him. Kurt was to pick a song for next Friday—the last song-off before Regionals. They'd have another couple of weeks to prepare just for Regionals, and then the Friday before, Blaine was set to come down to the McKinley auditorium to put on the performance.

Kurt glanced over the sheet music and shook his head, "I don't know if I can do it again…" he whispered.

"Of _course_ you can," Rachel said, as it was a small break from the routine they were practicing. "You're literally our last hope to win this thing and keep up our morale for Regionals!"

"Thank you for making me scared out of my wits," Kurt replied, but there was a smile on his face.

He flipped absentmindedly through the music again, just not finding the music he wanted. He sat back in the chair he had been sitting in and breathed out, watching as Finn and Rachel gave each other a loving look across the room. They were so cute with each other. For a minute, he wished Blaine was there, and that he could give him such a precious look as Rachel was giving Finn.

He sighed, hefted the box up on his knee, and then carried it back to the piano. "Thanks, Mr. Schue, but I couldn't find anything," he said.

Mr. Schuester crooked his head to the side and said, "Will you have something tomorrow, Kurt?"

Kurt gave the other a smile and nodded, "There might be something of worth on my iPod. I've heard I'm great at adapting music from solos to duets and vice versa so… I think I can find something of worth…"

Will nodded and gathered everyone up to go through a couple of weak spots in the song they had been practicing.

* * *

Friday came around quite fast, and Kurt was still nervous. He was to sing against Dmitry after all, as a Big Ending Bang for the New Directions/Warblers song-offs. They were at the Dalton Auditorium, where the song-offs had actually started, which was actually quite poetic for Kurt. So Dmitry was up first.

Kurt settled down in between Mercedes and Rachel and looked up at the blond teen on the stage. Shyly (for a jock), Dmitry looked at the judges, smiled, and then looked into the crowd (at Michael, Kurt guessed) and said, "I'll be singing… be singing 'The Very Thought Of You' by Vic Mignogna."

Kurt had never heard of the song, but as the karaoke track started, he sort of wished he did. Dmitry had the voice of an angel. Not quite as high as Pavel's, but a deeper, tonal quality. He was definitely a tenor, and it was beautiful.

Dmitry's use of stage was brilliant. At key points in the song, he talked to everyone in the audience, but at moments where the lyrics and music swelled, he went right back to singing to Michael. Dmitry's performance was kind of like Kurt's would be, in that respect. And Dmitry had a very, very, _very_ strong attachment to the song, especially when he was finishing up:

"_Because at the very thought of you the stars applaud above me  
And I've dreamed that you might someday choose to love me  
Could be just another dream that will never come true_

_But I won't let go of the very thought of you  
No I won't let go of the very thought of you…"_

By the end of Dmitry's performance, _everyone_ was crying at the implications. Kurt turned to the judges' table and watched as his father wiped away a tear, Will put his hand over his mouth, and Aleksey took off his glasses to wipe away a little condensation.

Kurt looked to Blaine, who gave him a knowing look. and then looked to Michael, who was curled up, his knees up on the seat, tears in his eyes, and clutching at his heart.

Dmitry thanked the judges and ran off the stage. Obviously, being the backup vocals was actually best for the boy. He looked _terrified_.

Kurt stood up and shuffled past Mercedes up to the stage. He composed himself by inhaling and then exhaling, and looked to Dmitry. "Thank you, Dmitry. That was wonderful." Kurt glanced at the judges, and then at Blaine, "I'll be singing a solo version of 'At The Beginning' from _Anastasia_."

As Kurt started, he did use his stage, hardly looking at the audience. He looked around and saw his life with Blaine as it had been, smiling at everything. It was only when the chorus began that he looked to Blaine:

"_And life is a road  
and I wanna to keep going  
love is a river  
I wanna keep flowing  
life is a road  
now and forever  
wonderful journey_

_I'll be there when the world stops turning  
I'll be there when the storm is through  
in the end I wanna be standing  
at the beginning with you…"_

He continued the motif, this time singing to each one of the Warblers as he sang. But at the chorus, he always directed it at Blaine. New Directions thought it was only a game, using the other team to frighten them off a little, but the Warblers didn't seem scared. They laughed and clapped along, especially when Kurt directed "_…on a crazy adventure_," to Jimmy.

By the end of the song, Kurt had danced his way back to the middle, and he was belting out the last few notes. He smiled at the judges when he finished, bowed, and ran off the stage.

* * *

"Well… both performances were wonderful. Dmitry's was moving, and Kurt's was fun. And since we really couldn't choose between two such delightful pieces… we're leaving this one a tie," Will said to both teams out in the lobby.

Both teams gasped, but Kurt and Dmitry beamed at each other. Maybe this was a new beginning for both teams?

"What the hell are you talking about, Schue?" Mercedes asked, pissed off.

"Yeah!" Sam yelled. "Kurt's performance was less of a downer!"

Kurt sighed and shook his head, "Forget you guys," he said, and ran out to wait by the buses.

* * *

No one asked questions on the ride back. Kurt sat in the back alone, and then lay back in the back of Finn's car when they went home. The only piece of peace from the night was a text from Blaine: _**Dmitry got some! Michael totally kissed him in front of all of us after New Directions left :D**_

And with that in mind, Kurt drifted off to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Songs featured: "At The Beginning" – from _Anastasia_  
"The Very Though Of You" – Vic Mignogna

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**Preview For The Next 'Scene': **It's Valentine's Day, and a certain Warbler finds it necessary to woo a certain member of New Directions instead of rehearsing a 'death defying duet.' It this Kurt and Blaine's big break in their relationship?


	12. Romantic Night

_Happy Valentine's Day. You get... well... read and you'll see your gift, my pretties._

_**Nope. Still don't own. I think I own the Warblers you don't recognize, and also some other characters mentioned in here. Otherwise... no. No. No.

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Chapter Twelve: Romantic Night

Valentine's Day. To some, a curse of being single; to others, whether single or taken, a day of love and mushyness. For Kurt, it was simply ambiguous. On the one hand, he was with Blaine the entire afternoon, practicing their act as Regionals was now in their sights and they would be ready. On the other hand, it seemed the performance was the only thing that Blaine really would see Kurt for.

The rest of the weeks had been Kurt and Blaine with their teams, working hard or hardly working, as some days went. Kurt saw Elliot once in a while, but he always went to the other's house and they made hats and costumes and talked mostly about musicals and Elliot's love life.

So on the most romantic day of the year (not including Christmas, since that first duet with Blaine had been really something), Kurt was too busy practicing his part of the dance. He was doing this mostly because Blaine was (and it was a dog-eat-dog world), and he wanted to give the other boy a taste of his own medicine. Not that it was working.

Blaine suddenly sat down on the couch, exhausted, "Oh my god. Please tell me we don't have to do that again," he said. "I'm dying."

"You should have thought about that when you proposed another duet with me, Blaine Anderson," Kurt replied, clapping his hands, "Get back up and let's take it from the top."

Blaine shook his head and looked boldly in Kurt's eyes, "How about no, and as penance for my sin, I take you out for dinner?" he asked.

Kurt blinked. "We haven't just been out to dinner since before New Year's…"

"Precisely, my dear Hummel," Blaine replied, standing. "Why don't you get back in your normal clothes, you let me shower and get into something more comfortable, and I'll meet you in the foyer of my house in thirty minutes?"

Kurt smiled, "I… I can't wait," he replied, moving to his duffel bag.

Blaine gave him a lopsided grin before he disappeared up the stairs.

* * *

Blaine did as he promised, and in thirty minutes or so was down in his foyer, dappishly dressed in a button down shirt—sans a tie—a black dinner jacket, and dark-colored jeans. Obviously, he had remembered that Kurt was the one wearing a black sweater over a horizontally striped button-down shirt and skinny jeans.

He took the duffel bag from Kurt's hand and crooked his elbow, nodding for Kurt to take it like a lady would. Kurt blushed, but did as the other had gestured to do and they were out the door, Blaine slipping Kurt's keys from his duffel and having the audacity to make Kurt go on the passenger's side. Kurt would have no clue where he was going if he was driving anyway, so Kurt got in the car without a word about it.

They went first to a smallish restaurant that was half empty at 6 on Valentine's Day, which was odd in-and-of-itself. Blaine looked at Kurt's incredulous expression as they entered, once more arm in arm. "My mother's restaurant. Since I came out to her and dad, dad left us—she doesn't blame me—and she made her restaurant GLBTQ friendly… not a lot of people come here, but the Warblers are made to come, of course—"

"And I'll be taking New Directions here when we come out, so to speak," Kurt replied as they were seated by a friendly butch woman.

"Thanks, Anita," Blaine said to her, "Is Leslie doing okay? And Baby Maria?"

Anita smiled and nodded, "We're all doing okay, Blaine," she replied, and nodded before going off to check on some other patrons.

Blaine turned back to Kurt and smiled, "I hope that happens, Kurt. My mother would be so thrilled. Ever since Dad left… well, it's been hard."

"I bet," Kurt said. He had heard the story of Blaine's father's disappearance. He packed up and left mostly due to Blaine's coming out, but also because he had been cheating. Well… Mrs. Anderson blamed neither Blaine nor the other woman.

They moved on from sad conversation, talking about what was going on at school and in their respective glee clubs. They said nothing about which songs they were singing, just little mishaps (Mostly Pavel's mishaps in the choreography Wes and David forced him to do despite the fact that he wasn't very coordinated…) that went on during rehearsals.

"I miss the prospect of a song-off at the end of the week," Blaine said after Anita had taken their orders.

"I know. It was such a comfortable thing by the end there," Kurt replied, taking a sip of the water Anita had put down before taking their orders.

"Well… I guess we had to stop doing them _sometime_ before Regionals…" Blaine replied. "I mean, three weeks before Regionals is a stretch, as I'm sure we aren't going to be working just on our individual groups' setlists _all the time_ right?"

Kurt raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, "Obviously, you've never once met Rachel Berry, even though I know for a fact, as her best friend, I talk about her a lot, you sang against her twice for your song-offs, and you've heard her corralling us at the buses about our performances against your Warblers after each song-off…?"

Blaine laughed, "Really? Do you ever get a reprieve from practicing your setlist?"

"Being the soloist for a song-off is going to be missed by most members," Kurt replied, a far-off look set in his eyes for effect.

"That bad, huh?" Blaine asked. "Don't you have an advisor?"

"Mr. Schue is tired and distracted most days," Kurt replied. "I think Aleksey has a hand in that…"

Blaine grinned, "He and Will got pretty close when they were judging. And Aleksey's father getting out of the picture when he was pretty young made the boy a little… needy for some fatherly attention. I heard his mom was dating someone new…"

Kurt's eyebrows shot up, "I feel something like what I did with Carole and Burt coming on… only there's one child, and he's not trying to get into some jock's pants by getting the two adults together…"

Blaine gave him a look, "Is _that_ what happened?" he asked.

"I was desperate, and I didn't know the difference between straight and gay. Give me a break," Kurt replied. "But Aleksey's mom and Mr. Schuester. That could be yet another link in breaking down the wall between New Directions and the Warblers…"

Blaine smiled as Anita came with their meals, and it was silent for a while as Kurt got over the deliciousness of his meal, "Who's the head chef here, because I will marry them whether they're male or female," he said.

Blaine grimaced, "Then… then prepare to become my stepfather, 'cause it's my mom…"

"Wow… talk about MILF," Kurt joked, grinning, "You know I kid when I ask people to marry me, right? It's kind of a bad habit, but I blame _Friends_."

Blaine grinned back, "Yeah… I'm sorry I got a little weirded out by that comment… Will you marry me?"

Kurt laughed, "I love that scene…" he said. Then he paused, "You weren't being serious, right?"

Blaine laughed, "You know I kid when I ask people to marry me, right?" he asked.

Kurt shook his head, "Oh, real funny, Anderson."

They were quiet for a moment before Blaine said, "You know you should probably seek help for that so when you meet that special person you don't freak 'em out by your weird habits," he replied, grinning.

Kurt flicked his arm, which was near enough to him on the table so that he could. "Seriously? That was my second time saying it. Once with Pavel, and once with your mother. I have weird tastes in spouses…"

"Naw… Pavel is a fine catch if you like to be someone's nurse for the rest of your life," Blaine replied, "And my mother is awesome if you don't mind not cooking ever, and having to take care of a kind of dorky stepson… who happens to be the same age if not older than you…"

Kurt laughed, "I think I'm too young for marriage now, so I'll pass…"

Blaine shrugged, "I'm just saying. Mom needs help with her wardrobe, so I think a husband who dresses like you do will do her fine…"

"Are you actually trying to get me to marry your mother, Blaine Anderson?" Kurt asked.

"No… no. I guess just having you around the house as my friend will get her to take a hint. She wore a plaid skirt today and a yellow sweater that made her look somewhat like your Rachel Berry does…"

Kurt put his head in hands, "Oh my GaGa, that is a sure sign of the need for a fashion intervention. Why didn't you do it yourself?"

"Well… I actually just thought about it, and I wanted to see if I could keep you around by making my mother seem like a bit of a wreck. Before you go ballistic about it: she is a victim and she needs help, and I had pure intentions by asking you to help."

Kurt shook his head, "Damn you, Blaine Anderson, for being the most adorable man with an ulterior motive _ever_."

Blaine shrugged, and began eating again before he recognized the pair of lady's shoes he was staring at. "Mom!"

Mrs. Anderson laughed and Kurt was drawn to her lovely face. She was a beautiful woman with long dark hair, curled slightly as Blaine's was. She was wearing a chef's jacket, but Kurt could see the plaid skirt peeking out from under it. He winced slightly, as she was wearing blue high heels to 'match' with the blue part of the plaid skirt.

"Blaine, sweetheart. Who's the little cutie?" she asked, winking at Kurt.

"Kurt Hummel, meet my mother, Clara Anderson. Mom, this is the Kurt Hummel who has been drilling a duet song-and-dance number of 'Beautiful Soul' into me."

"_This_ is the Kurt Hummel who's been cleaning my kitchens and baking me cakes?" Clara asked, eyes widening. "You've nearly made me fat, young man."

Kurt gave her a sheepish grin, "When I can't shop, I bake. I get a little stressed out when I have to sing against a genius like Dmitry Polinski…"

Clara smiled, "I know the feeling. I cook when I stressed, so to have a stress-relieving job like this one is a dream come true."

"I can contest to getting fat. When The Incident happened, I got five square meals a day and even my soccer practices wouldn't help me get off the extra weight. That's when Granddad retired and let Mom become the head chef," Blaine replied.

Clara laughed and patted Kurt on the back, "If you want some extra money, you can come in once a week and bake some cakes for us here…"

Kurt beamed at her, "I'll seriously think that over…"

"Now Mom… it's kind of Valentine's Day and I'm kind of taking a break from singing and dancing to take Kurt out tonight so can you…"

Clara winked at her son, "Of course," she replied, and went to leave, "Nice meeting you, Kurt!"

"Nice meeting you too, Clara," Kurt replied, smiling and giving her a wave. When she was gone, he grimaced, "You weren't kidding about the fashion emergency."

Blaine smiled, "You should really think about that baking thing. Mom pays outside resources—to use Kyle's wording—_fabulously_."

"Is this another ruse to keep me around?" Kurt asked.

"Hey," Blaine said, putting his hands up, "Mom's allowance for me is me coming in and bussing tables twice a week. The worst you can do is come in and bake some awesome treats on _one_ of those nights and keep me company…"

Kurt sighed, "Like I told you mom, I'll think about it."

* * *

The next place Blaine took Kurt (still in his car), was to the venue Kyle often performed at. It was empty tonight, which was weird, but Blaine turned on the lights to the stage and made Kurt sit in the audience while Blaine went to find something backstage.

When he returned, he had a guitar in his hands, and as he strummed, he sat on the lonely stool in the middle of the stage and winked at Kurt. "This goes out to a certain New Direction's member. Happy Valentine's day…"

"_Something in the way she moves  
Attracts me like no other lover  
Something in the way she woos me_

_I don't want to leave her now  
You know I believe and how…"_

Blaine moved so that he was walking slowly down the steps toward Kurt. He stopped strumming to take Kurt's hand to make him stand up. He then proceeded to lead the other boy out to the aisle, and back up the stairs onto the stage.

_"Somewhere in her smile she knows  
That I don't need no other lover  
Something in her style that shows me_

_I don't want to leave her now  
You know I believe and how…"_

Blaine had been strumming as he sang to Kurt, but he stopped suddenly, kissed Kurt's hand, and pulled him in to slowly dance to the music.

_"You're asking me will my love grow  
I don't know, I don't know  
You stick around now it may show  
I don't know, I don't know_

_Something in the way she knows  
And all I have to do is think of her  
Something in the things she shows me_

_I don't want to leave her now  
You know I believe and how…"_

Kurt put his hands to his mouth by the end of the song, and Blaine simply grinned at him. "Well? That was payback for the song-off, by the way. I knew you were singing to me in those first few verses. You're an easy boy to read…"

"Oh, _thanks_," Kurt replied, folding his arms over his chest and pouting slightly.

Blaine took his hands again and kissed them both, "Oh stop it, Kurt. As adorable as your pouting is, I like your smiles better…" he said.

Kurt smiled up at Blaine as the other boy pulled him in close and slowly pulled Kurt's head in for a chaste kiss on the lips. When he pulled away, Kurt wasn't quite satisfied, and he pulled Blaine back in for another kiss, this time with more force behind it. They parted again, Blaine chuckling a bit. "I see you've wanted more of me for a while…"

"You have Jimmy to blame for that," Kurt whispered, and pulled him in again for another kiss.

* * *

"Thank you," Kurt said as he dropped Blaine off at his house.

Blaine kissed him one last time for the night before he hopped out of the car. "You know, I'm hoping that this means you won't work me as hard the next time we rehearse?"

"Fat chance, Anderson," Kurt replied, "I'll see you next Saturday at the same time. Be ready to really _work_…"

Blaine sighed, "It was a dream, and now its shattered."

"Good _night_," Kurt said, and Blaine stuck his tongue out childishly before shutting the passenger seat door, allowing Kurt to drive home.

* * *

A/N: Song used: 'Something' from _Across The Universe.

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**Preview For The Next Scene**: Regionals is nearly upon us, and Kurt and Blaine are ready to break some walls down. But are New Directions ready to let the Warblers in after hating them all their lives?_  
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	13. Find Your Place

_**You + Reviewing this chapter = Totally Awesome**_

_**I still don't own **_**Glee**_** or **_**How To Train Your Dragon**_**.**_

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Chapter Thirteen: Find Your Place

It was time. Time to knock down a tremendous wall that had been separating two awesome glee clubs for years now. Blaine looked nervous as he came down the hall. Kurt had excused himself from practice to go to the bathroom, but he was really waiting for Blaine so that they could surprise New Directions together.

When Blaine arrived, Kurt had kissed him softly on the lips and told him not to be nervous.

"Well… I can't promise to get over myself completely, but I'll certainly use my nervousness in the performance," Blaine replied, squeezing Kurt's hand.

Kurt decided to go in first and ease the others into it. Blaine watched him go, nodding at him when he looked back for a split second.

"Guys… can I do a… special performance for you?" he asked.

The others had been drinking water and talking about the rehearsal, but then they all stared at him and nodded. "Has it got anything to do with the fabulous jacket you have on, white boy?" Mercedes asked, pointing to the cream-white jacket he had been wearing all day. It looked like the Dalton blazer, only there was no stripe, and the tie was the McKinley red and white stripe. He was also wearing a matching hat (with a Dalton-esque red, navy and white ribbon encircling it).

"Something like that," Kurt replied, a nervous smile on his face.

He looked to the door again and nodded at it, getting quite a few stares from his fellow glee-clubbers. But when Blaine walked in, wearing about the same thing (and looking dapper, as usual), there was a collective gasp, and Rachel immediately stood up, "He's here to spy on us, isn't he?"

"No, Rach," Kurt said, going to her and sitting her down. "We want to show you something… Over the last few months, I've been hanging out with the Warblers, knocking down a few walls…"

"You better have been on some espionage mission, Hummel," Puck said, his arms crossed over his chest. Several other members looked to Mr. Schuester, but he had excused himself to go get something from his office (or Sue had paged him and they were duking it out in her office).

"Nothing like that, guys. This is Blaine Anderson, as I'm sure you all remember, and we'd like to put on a performance for you," Kurt said, "So if we can all trundle on down to the auditorium—"

"Nuh-uh," Santana suddenly said, standing and putting her pointer finger out. "I think I speak for the whole glee club when I say that we _will not_ watch you perform with _him_…" The 'him' in question was given death glares by a major few in the glee club, and he instantly took a step back toward the door.

Rachel wiggled out from under Kurt's hand, "I can't watch it, Kurt. The Warblers and New Directions are enemies, and if you can't see that, then you better pick sides now. But if you choose them over us, don't even think about coming to Regionals tomorrow."

Kurt was about to say something, but Blaine put a hand on his arm. They gave each other a sad look before Kurt turned back to his club. "I thought I could change things. Have fun getting past the judges with only eleven members…"

* * *

"It's too late for them to find someone else," Kurt said, his head in his hands. They were in the kitchens of O'Reilley's, the restaurant Clara owned. It was Friday, yes, but that was the day Kurt came in and baked for Clara and the restaurant. It was also one of the days Blaine bused tables for extra cash. (The other day was Tuesday.)

Work had been stalled for a moment while Clara and Blaine comforted the boy.

"If you would have stayed, though, they wouldn't even think about breaking down the walls a bit and letting our teams at least be friendly with each other," Blaine said, rubbing Kurt's back slowly.

"We didn't even get to perform," Kurt said, not ignoring Blaine, just… off in his own world now. He looked down at the white cook's apron he was to wear as he baked, seeing his costume-work and shaking his head again.

Blaine and Clara glanced at each other, "I think Avery is still out there," Clara said. "You want to… sing your song to our patrons instead?" she asked, putting a hand on Kurt's shoulder and leaning down so they were eye-level.

Kurt looked from her to Blaine, and then shook his head. "I'm a little too depressed for that right now…"

Blaine sighed, "Then take a seat behind the counter. Mom, keep him company. I have a plan…" and he disappeared out the door to the restaurant floor, his mother leading Kurt out without another word edgewise.

Blaine was on the small stage, a balding man collaborating with him on the piano. Blaine was going through a sheet of music that looked handwritten and hard-to-read. Finally, the man (Avery, Kurt presumed) began playing some music, and Blaine gave him a quick thumbs-up before he began to sing:

"_I've been alone  
Surrounded by darkness  
I've seen how heartless  
The world can be_

_I've seen you crying  
You felt like it's hopeless  
I'll always do my best  
To make you see_

_Baby, you're not alone  
Cause you're here with me  
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down  
Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you  
And you know it's true  
It don't matter what'll come to be  
Our love is all we need to make it through_

_Now I know it ain't easy  
But it ain't hard trying  
Every time I see you smiling  
And I feel you so close to me  
And you tell me_

_Baby, you're not alone  
Cause you're here with me  
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down  
Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you  
And you know it's true  
It don't matter what'll come to be  
Our love is all we need to make it through_

_I still have trouble  
I trip and stumble  
Trying to make sense of things sometimes  
I look for reasons  
But I don't need 'em  
All I need is to look in your eyes  
And I realize_

_Baby I'm not alone  
Cause you're here with me  
And nothing's ever gonna take us down  
Cause nothing can keep me from lovin' you  
And you know it's true  
It don't matter what'll come to be  
Our love is all we need to make it through_

_Cause you're here with me  
And nothing's ever gonna bring us down  
Cause nothing, nothing, nothing can keep me from lovin' you  
And you know it's true  
It don't matter what'll come to be  
You know our love is all we need  
Our love is all we need to make it through…"_

Kurt was blushing by the end, when Blaine had traveled from the stage, dancing (a little) between and around tables of people, singing and flirting with them, to sliding over the counter, landing in front of Kurt as he sang the very last line of the song.

Clara smiled and Kurt looked at her, "Ladies and gentlemen, your son and my boyfriend," he said, putting his hands over his mouth after his little quip.

Clara ruffled her son's hair, wiping the access gel on her chef's robe. "Blaine wrote that song all on his own when he was transitioning from his last school to Dalton. That was also about the time of the Incident, so he sang it to me as well on a particularly nasty day for me," she told him, "But it does wonders for flirting with your romantic partner, doesn't it, Blainey."

"Shut up, mom," 'Blainey' replied playfully, kissing his mother's cheek before kissing Kurt on the mouth. "I just wanted to remind Kurt of something… I love you, Kurt."

"I love you too, Blaine," Kurt replied, letting the other boy take his hands. "I'll need to come home with you guys though… I don't think I can go home and face Finn after today…"

"Stay as long as you need, hon," Clara replied, putting an arm around the small boy. "Blaine just told you you're not alone, and darn it, I'm going to reiterate it: You. Are. Not. Alone," she said, pulling Kurt into individual one armed hugs as she said the last bit. "Now… let's get your mind off things by baking!"

Blaine smiled, "Lemme go bus some tables then. Have fun, you two."

"See you at closing time, Blainey," Clara called, leading Kurt back into the kitchens.

* * *

Song used: "Not Alone" by Blaine Anderson—I MEAN DARREN CRISS!

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**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** New Directions go to Regionals with only eleven people. The Warblers can't find Blaine. New Directions needs Kurt. The Warblers may have an idea where _both_ are... And Rachel _knows_ they know...


	14. Where's Kurt?

_Short chapter. It's filler, okay?_

_**I don't own **_**Glee**_** or **_**How To Train Your Dragon**_**. I just own a whole bunch of guys that I don't know what to do with at this point.**_

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Chapter Fourteen: Where's Kurt?

Will knew they wouldn't get under the radar. It was two hours to Indianapolis by air, and Kurt hadn't been at check-in. They only had eleven members, and only a couple days in Indianapolis anyway.

What really got to the already _exhausted_ advisor was that Sue Sylvester had announced on live television that she was a judge at Regionals. They were so screwed at this point. Even with Will stepping in (deceiving, more like) as a high school student wasn't going to work.

At leas the Dalton Warblers were taking a Polinski jet (thank you, Dmitry's rich parents) and New Directions wouldn't have the same flight plans as them. That was a relief.

That was why Rachel was sitting in a chair by herself, moping.

"I can't believe they disqualified us," Santana seethed a couple seats down. It sounded like Aural Intensity was kicking butt out on the stage, but New Directions wouldn't be performing. And this whole thing would take two days to get through. The other members were getting out of their costumes to go out and at least enjoy the city while they were there for the two days.

"They rightfully did," Rachel said, standing and facing the Latina head-on. "We… we could have let Kurt and Blaine sing… and then he would be here and we would be knocking even Ms. Sylvester's socks off with our setlist. But because we were so thick-headed we didn't give them a chance and… and here we are!" she screamed the last bit and successfully stormed out of the room.

Out in the hall, she tried to call Kurt, but his phone was off and there was little service back stage.

She slumped down against the wall. But then she remembered something. A spark in Kurt's eye when he looked at Blaine. _Dammit! My own dads are gay! They look at each other like that __all the time__! I've been so damn blind!_ And she got up, brushed down the dress she was wearing, and went down the hall to where the Dalton Warblers were congregating.

hr

"Guys, this is spooky," Elliot said, "I still can't get a hold of Blaine. He said he would probably have to take a normal flight and he hasn't checked in yet!"

"Will you calm down?" Wes asked, "I'm sure he has a reason. We can have Kyle take his solos if he doesn't show up."

"It won't be the same," Pavel chirped from the back. He was trying to tie his tie, but Aleksey finally had to do it for him.

"No it won't… but we'll have to do it," David replied from the piano bench. "Now, warm ups!"

"Excuse me," a female voice said from the doorway.

The lovely Rachel Berry entered the hall, wearing a purple dress that looked gorgeous on her. The straight men in the room turned to her (and Elliot actually had the audacity to go up to her and touch the seam). "I hear you don't have a soloist? We have only eleven members, because Kurt just didn't show…"

Wes stood, "Then I have an idea of where Blaine is…"

"We can't just leave now," a particularly metrosexual boy said, looking at his nails.

"No… but Blaine wanted this just as much as we did. And Kurt is our friend too," David said, getting up and migrating toward Wes, who was standing in front of Rachel.

Elliot looked up from the seams of Rachel's dress, "You came here for help, didn't you? But you were brutally disqualified."

"Yes… but I want Kurt with us no matter what. He would love it here. And if he's in love with Blaine, then Blaine should be here too so we can all enjoy it," Rachel said, smiling at the boys.

"We'll get disqualified too…" David said in an ironic sing-song voice.

"Doesn't matter," Pavel said, standing, "Rachel's giving us a white flag and shaking our hand, so to speak. The war's practically over…"

"Practically," Rachel said. "You got a way to get us back to Lima so we can pick up the lovebirds?"

All the boys turned to Dmitry, who stood. "We tied, so Kurt's practically my equal. And Blaine has been a friend and a fearless leader to us since he auditioned."

"Rachel, what are you doing?" Mercedes asked from the doorway, nine other faces peering in at the boys.

"Breaking down the wall," Rachel replied, shaking hands with Wes.

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene':** New Directions and the Warblers team up to find their missing pieces. Blaine and Kurt haven't exactly been making out in their spare time (rather, Kurt's been too depressed to), but once they are accosted by a bunch of teenagers, they realize that they have broken down some walls after all, and everyone makes way to get back to Regionals and sing their hearts out, even if both teams are disqualified.


	15. Coming Back Around

_**Reviews would be totally awesome. Jus' sayin'.**_

_**I own nothing. Well... I own the Warblers excluding Wes, David and Blaine.

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Chapter Fifteen: Coming Back Around

"They have to have arrived by now," Kurt said into the pillow. He had his phone off, and Blaine was sitting, crossed-legged, with Kurt in his lap, just holding him around the waist as Kurt hissed out little things about what might be going on at Regionals.

New Directions was one of the last to go up at the large conference hall in Indianapolis, so they would be going that night. Placing for Nationals came down to the best glee club on Sunday, and then it was off to New York for the winner in the summer months. Kurt hoped they had found someone, and if they didn't… well… he didn't want to think about how Rachel (or even Mercedes) would be handling that.

"You could have gone," Kurt told his boyfriend coolly, looking back at him. "Bros before hos and all that?"

"Yes. But you were my friend first, before we decided that just wasn't enough," Blaine justified, grinning, "Besides, Kyle won against me for title of soloist this time around. As the only senior, he wanted a chance to sing solo again for Regionals and maybe Nationals, if we got there."

"So… you were embarrassed to go because you don't remember what its like to be in the background?" Kurt asked, raising a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

Blaine poked him in the side before cuddling him close. "I'm sure New Directions found someone. They landed about four hours ago, right?"

"Yeah. They should be practicing and getting into their costumes right now. Rachel and Mercedes would be pacing, totally needing me there…" Kurt replied, off in his own world again. "They could just comfort _each other_ for Prada's sake!"

There was a sudden knock on the door and Blaine and Kurt's ears seemed to perk, but when they heard Clara open it they relaxed a bit. Blaine began massaging Kurt's tense shoulders, until Clara yelled, "Did you two plan a party without telling me?"

Kurt and Blaine glanced at each other before Blaine yelled back, "What do you mean?"

Then there was a thundering up the stairs and about half the Warblers burst in, mixed together with the eleven members of New Directions.

"What the hell if going on?" Blaine asked, shifting out from under Kurt.

"Dmitry got us back here," Rachel replied. "I wasn't going to perform without you, Kurt, and it the Warblers without Blaine at least in the company."

"You… made friends with the Warblers to come and find me?" Kurt asked, looking from Rachel to Finn to Mercedes and then back at Rachel.

"You were right," Finn said. "The Warblers…? Well… they're cool. We sang songs on the plane-ride here, and then Dmitry called the bus services and got us a tour-bus. Rachel insisted that we find you two at any cost."

"Yeah," Mercedes put in, "Mr. Schue let us go, because Coach Sylvester caught us and suspended us."

"We pulled out too," Wes told Blaine. "We were leaving to find you anyway."

"Kurt… we need to go back because I promised Mr. Schue," Rachel said, taking up his hands. "You need to come with us, though."

"There's not much point," Blaine interjected.

Kurt stopped, "Yes there is. The judges may be gone by the time we get there tomorrow, but we can put together our glee clubs and show Mr. Schue and Coach Sylvester what we can do…"

Rachel smiled, "What have you in mind?"

"Blaine, can you do the back-up vocals for any of our setlist songs?" Kurt asked.

Rachel shoved a piece of paper under his nose and he looked through it. "Thank god you aren't doing 'We're All In This Together,'" he said, chuckling lightly to himself.

"Is that what you want to do?" Rachel asked suddenly, determined to do anything the rival soloist wanted at this point.

Blaine was taken aback, but Kurt simply raised his eyebrows at him and giggled. Blaine went back to scanning the list, "I know 'I Will Be There…' but I'm not sure if the boys can do backups," he said, handing the list back to her.

"So much faith in us," Pavel said, poking him, "BASEMENT NOW, GUYS! THAT MEANS NEW DIRECTIONS AS WELL!"

"Man, can that boy scream," Mercedes quipped.

Kurt shrugged "I thought you have would learned that countertenors do that by now," he said.

"He's a countertenor?" Mercedes asked, staring at the Russian-born boy.

"I can cover myself pretty well, can't I?" Pavel replied in his adorable Russian accent, grinning smugly at her.

* * *

By the time they had practiced, got about three hours of sleep, had another hour of driving a big bus to the private airport, another two hour flight, and another hour-long bus drive, they had made it back to Indianapolis just as the janitors were packing things up in the giant auditorium Regionals had rented out for the weekend.

Will checked his watch, "What were you guys doing? The judges went home an hour ago."

"Not like we could perform anyway," Puck said, looking past him at Coach Sylvester, who had ceased drooling on her hand as she sat at the empty judges' table.

"There you are… I've been waiting for you guys to take me to the airport for _hours_ now!" she cried, slamming the table to get up (and make a point).

"Not just yet, Coach Sylvester," Rachel said, putting her hand up and smiling. "I… _we_ want to show you and Mr. Schue that the Warblers and us are willing to at least be friends…" she said, and nodded to the two teams.

Since the band had left, it was perfect that the Warblers did their little a capella thing. The boys rushed the stage, climbing over as they began the backup. Blaine and Rachel looked at each other as Rachel began to sing, making her way up one set of stairs, while Blaine mirrored her. New Directions was hoisting Artie on the stage as Rachel started them off:

"_Oh yeah…"_

Blaine joined her almost immediately after that:

"_You don't have to say what's on your mind  
'Cause I know where you've been  
Give it up and leave it all behind  
And then let me begin…"_

Everyone jumped in, except those still backing up and making it sound like they actually had instruments:

"_Come on over here  
Let me show how things should be  
I will make it alright  
Let me make it clear  
You can put your trust in me  
Yes I will be there_

_When you need someone  
You just turn around  
And I, will be there  
When you're feeling low  
Baby let me know  
And I, will be there…"_

Kurt and Pavel jumped in as the leading soloists next, pushing Rachel and Blaine back into the group of mixed glee clubs. They were smiling now because they were finally singing together after only singing snippets together (and they had been with Blaine and Aleksey at the time):

"_Won't you let me make it up to you  
Now you know where I am  
There ain't nothin that I wouldn't do  
Just to love once again…"_

Everyone jumped in again, Puck wheeling Artie around, and the rest doing really good impromptu dance moves:

"_Come on over here  
Let me show how things should be  
I will make it alright  
Let me make it clear  
You can put your trust in me  
Yes I will be there_

_When you need someone  
You just turn around  
And I, will be there  
When you're feeling low  
Baby let me know  
And I, will be there…"_

Then Pavel moved back into the 'instrument' group, and New Directions weaseled their way amongst the Warblers, adding into the cacophony of voices all ready present.

Kurt and Blaine were left in front, and as they sang, they gravitated to one another until they were holding each other's hands and singing mostly to one another:

"_I will be there  
Just take a stand  
I'll be here for you  
Now and forever  
Give one more chance  
To show you how much I care  
I'll be there…"_

And then everyone jumped forward to finish up the song, dancing with each other and smiling at each other as they did:

"_When you need someone  
I just turn around  
And I will be there  
When you're in sorrow  
Just let me know and I will be there_

_When you need someone  
You just turn around  
And I, will be there  
When you're feeling low  
Baby let me know  
And I, will be there!"_

They all finished, breathless as Warblers held hands with members New Directions, bowing, even though Will was the only one clapping. Everyone looked from him to Sue, who grumpily slumped back in her seat.

"While that performance was wonderfully peppy and well put together for a last minute sashay, you both were disqualified when you, McKinley Glee Club, were found with only 11 members, and you, Dalton Glee Club, failed to show up for your performance to go gallivanting off to find you last and final puzzle piece."

"We don't need to win," Kurt said, stepping forward. "We broke down a major wall, and we'll be able to win next year…"

Sue put her pen to her lips, and gave the boy a small smile. "All right, Porcelain," she said. "I'll put in a good word with Principal Figgins. In the meantime… I want to go home, plan for my new Cheerios recruits, and feed the cat next door some of her own species to make myself feel better for having come all the way out here just to watch a bunch of glee clubs totally suck."

* * *

Blaine had been snoring on Kurt's lap for the past hour. Kurt could see the hanger where Dmitry's jets were placed in the distance, but turned to Rachel, who was holding his hand on the other side of him.

Will and Sue had hitched a ride on Dmitry's plane with the Warblers and New Directions after a nice dinner at an Indianapolis restaurant. They had discussed a "Coming Together" performance for a summer charity event (Pavel and Aleksey's idea), to which everyone raised their glasses as a form of agreement. Kurt had also invited them all to O'Reilley's the next weekend. Blaine looked around the room and thought he was going to faint. That would be one big party, and a lot of money for his mom.

Finally, they had taken that hour-long bus-ride, and were now on the plane. After a rousing game of 'Would You Rather' (Kurt would rather kiss a hedgehog than wear anything in Aleskey's closet, by the way), the kids had fanned out into little groups (Rayne had attracted Sam and Santana, despite his metrosexuality; Mercedes preferred to stay close to Elliot and Jimmy) and fell asleep, finally exhausted.

Kurt had stayed with Rachel, Blaine, and Finn, but all ready Rachel and Kurt's boyfriends were asleep in their laps. Rachel and Kurt were about to fall asleep, but Kurt hung on to wakefulness as he noticed the plane's dip. He squeezed Rachel's hand, "I'm proud of you, Rach."

"I missed you, Kurt. I wanted you to experience Regionals with me, not against me…" she replied, the tiredness apparent in her voice. "And look where we are now… An age-old feud… done."

Kurt smiled and nodded, allowing Rachel's head to fall on his shoulder again as the pilot woke everyone up by announcing they were in sight of the landing pad…

* * *

Song used: "I Will Be There" by Britney Spears

* * *

**Preview For The Next 'Scene': **Last scene, I'm afraid. It's summer time and the Warblers and New Directions come together for a rockin' charity performance, 'cause now everyone cares for one another, because the feud is over! Let the party begin!


	16. We're All In This Together

**_I still own nothing. Okay, I own most of the Warblers and their mentioned kin._**

**_Please review. It's the last chapter, for Pavarotti's sake!

* * *

_**

Chapter Sixteen: We're All In This Together

"Where are Pavel and Elliot?" Rachel hissed from backstage, "It was Pavel's idea in the first place!"

Jesse chuckled, "Perhaps they're cheating on their boyfriends with each other," he snorted, earning him a swift elbow in the gut from none other than Elliot, who had literally popped out of the floor.

"Blaine and Kurt request that the people popping out of the onstage trapdoor get their skinny brunet asses down there," he said. "And Pav is tied up in some socks right now. Aleksey?"

"On it," the bespectacled male replied, pushing passed Rachel and Finn. "I'll make sure Pavel gets down there."

"Is Kyle there all ready?" Jesse asked right as Dmitry knocked into him, trying to save his hat, which had blown off thanks to Aaron pounding the fan on (accidently).

Dmitry shook off his initial shock of smacking into Jesse, as Jesse had stood his ground instead of crumpling like a lot of other Warblers might do.

Jesse wouldn't get an answer, as the girls had entered from their dressing rooms, looking adorable all dolled up in lavender dresses (they matched the boys' dark purple ties and ribbons on the Dick Tracy-esque hats they were to wear; otherwise, the boys were all wearing tuxedoes), and the boys all wanted to fawn over them.

Dmitry glanced at the boy and grinned, "Don't worry about Ky… he's down there all ready, keeping an eye on the only actual couple who gets to sing together…"

Jesse rolled his eyes, "Well… they did start it with the whole 'forbidden friendship-turned-romance' thing…"

"And thank goodness they did," Dmitry replied, watching as both the New Directions boys and the Warblers fawned over the girls, making them all blush.

* * *

Aleksey was the one who went out on stage first. Into the microphone he said to their restless audience: "Hello, ladies and gentlemen. This performance is by the Dalton Warblers and McKinley High School's New Directions. We will be performing three songs for you today: "If Everyone Cared " by Nickelback, "You've Got A Friend In Me," by Randy Newman, and "Beautiful Soul," by Jesse McCartney. Thank you all for your donations to the orphanage, and a special congratulations to my mother and her new fiancé, William Schuester. I'm proud the Skarlova family will be shifting its last name after fifteen long years."

The audience clapped, and Aleksey began the background noise, the other Warblers still backstage. It was cool sounding, and the visual was stunning: one lonely boy on stage, sounding like hundreds of other voices were stemming from just him.

Finally, the curtain rose, and the other boys appeared, singing the chorus first:

"_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died…"_

Then the smoke appeared and the lights went down. Three spotlights came up on visible cracks in the stage floor. And that's when they opened and three sets of couples were shown. In the middle: Kurt and Blaine. Behind them to the left: Rachel and Pavel (sock-free, thank god), and next to them, to the right of Kurt and Blaine: Finn and Kyle, looking rather cozy despite one of the two being _completely straight._

Finn and Rayne came to the middle, displacing Kurt and Blaine, and sang first:

"_From underneath the trees, we watch the sky  
Confusing stars for satellites  
I never dreamed that you'd be mine  
But here we are, we're here tonight_

_Singing, "Amen I, I'm alive"  
(I'm alive)  
Singing, "Amen I, I'm alive"…"_

Of course everyone was singing in the background through the whole thing. The girls entered the stage to join the boys for the next chorus:

"_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_And I'm singing  
Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive  
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I  
(I'm alive)…"_

Rachel and Pavel came up to the center. At some point, the trapdoors had closed, and Kurt was glad that they had gotten this particular venue (the Dalton auditorium, it should be noted), because everything was going so smoothly.

Rachel and Pavel sang like two girls. But both teams had wanted the soloists to be consisted of a Warbler and a member of New Directions. It would reverberate with their audience a bit more. So Pavel being a countertenor with a beautiful voice (not as pretty as Kurt's _of course_) was perfect. And Rachel still got the spotlight a little:

"_And in the air the fireflies  
Our only light in paradise  
We'll show the world they were wrong  
And teach them all to sing along_

_Singing, "Amen I, I'm alive"  
(I'm alive)  
Singing, "Amen I, I'm alive"…"_

Again, everyone broke out into the chorus, the background noise now making themselves known by coming to the middle do some awesome jumps and flips. (Dmitry was especially good at this, especially when coupled with Brittany.)

"_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died  
When nobody died…"_

Finally, Kurt and Blaine came to the center to finish off the actual verses. They actually held one another's hands… but as they sang, _everyone_ took each other's hands:

"_And as we lie beneath the stars  
We realize how small we are  
If they could love like you and me  
Imagine what the world could be…"_

And then everyone broke apart, only to start doing a four-step dance with each other, switching off so soon boys were dancing with boys and girls with girls and then boys with girls, and constant flowing from Warbler-New Directions pairs to all the other combinations in between:

"_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_If everyone cared and nobody cried  
If everyone loved and nobody lied  
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride  
Then we'd see the day when nobody died_

_We'd see the day, we'd see the day  
(When nobody died)  
We'd see the day, we'd see the day  
(When nobody died)  
We'd see the day  
(When nobody died)…"_

When they were finished, they were all standing in four lines, still mixed and matched. The lights when out, and the crowd went wild. Will and Ms. Skarlova were cheering the wildest.

* * *

"Good performance," Blaine whispered as he and Kurt watched the techies loading everything into a large Uhaul truck.

The others were around, getting everyone out into the Dalton lobby (for that was their preferred venue for the whole performance) for cookies and punch. He and Kurt had been left in the auditorium. Kurt was touching a pillar far from the stage, reminiscing… or something.

"This is where it all started. You sang 'Teenage Dream.'"

"And then Mercedes tried to kill me," Blaine replied, putting his arms around Kurt's waist from behind him.

"She didn't mean it…"

"I think she did. She could have been the shorter Muse in _Hercules_…" Blaine mused.

Kurt glanced back at Blaine and laughed, "Are you saying Mercedes is clairvoyant?" he asked.

"Or maybe the Fates just used her to get us together," Blaine replied, kissing the other just under the ear.

"No… if anything, the Fates saw an end to the dreadful one-sided rivalry we had," Kurt replied, looking at the empty stage.

"Amen to that," Blaine replied, spinning him around so they were facing each other. "You look beautiful tonight."

"We're wearing the same outfit."

"Touché."

Blaine suddenly leaned down and captured Kurt's lips in a hungry kiss. A hand slipped down the small of Kurt's back, but Kurt caught himself and parted with the shorter male. He gave Blaine a coy grin and darted out from the other boy's grip, out the auditorium doors.

Blaine heard Rachel's happy shriek and chuckled, taking slow steps to the outside world. He was humming a little piece of music to himself as he was swept up in a hug from Elliot and Pavel (crashing into the wall behind him, thanks to the latter). It was only when he was laughing aloud at Pavel's klutzy antics that he remembered the song was called 'Forbidden Friendship.'

Blaine smiled at the realization. How nice Fate had been to him, in the long-run.

* * *

**FIN** (not FINN)


End file.
